Architectural Technologies Studies

Abstract The rehabilitation and restoration of the built heritage represent a central concern in current international and national policies. In Iran, a significant portion of educational buildings, constructed during the construction booms of the 1970s and 1990s, now exhibit structural deficiencies, seismic vulnerability, and poor energy performance. This study develops an integrated multi-criteria decision-making framework to support the planning and prioritization of rehabilitation interventions for university buildings, simultaneously considering socio-economic sustainability, seismic safety, energy efficiency, and process sustainability. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method is employed to structure the decision problem and evaluate intervention alternatives. The proposed framework is validated through application to a real case study: an educational building of the Islamic Azad University of Tarom in Zanjan Province, Iran. Four rehabilitation scenarios—ranging from minimum to maximum intervention—were evaluated. Results indicate that the "developed" scenario (comprehensive insulation, internal space redesign, and courtyard rehabilitation) achieves the highest priority score (0.368), outperforming the maximum intervention scenario (0.355) due to better socio-economic and process sustainability performance. This research contributes a replicable decision-support tool for university administrators and public authorities, enabling transparent, informed, and cost-effective investment decisions aligned with Iran's 1404 Vision Plan and national energy efficiency regulations.

Abstract In the field of building, minimizing energy demand and improving energy management of buildings has received much attention in recent years with the development of energy reduction technologies related to openings. In this study, a window in the living space of a residential building is considered, which is investigated with several types of double and triple glazing and different intermediate gases in terms of internal thermal energy management. (Best-case results) Polymer-based phase change materials (PCM) for thermal energy storage (TES) applications have recently received attention due to their high stability and potential solid-to-solid phase transition. In this study, a living space in the cold climate of Tabriz is simulated, which shows the energy consumption in a cold climate by one of the thermal analysis energy plugins for the best case of glass in terms of type and number of glazing. In this example, the glass surface area occupied (WWR) is considered to be 0.6 of the wall area, and the type of materials selected for the ceiling, walls, and floor of the space is selected equally. Some results show that necessarily with increasing the number Thermal resistance will not be achieved in windows, and in some windows with a lower number of panes but more efficient glazing, energy savings will be greater.

Abstract Aims: The continuous rise in air temperature driven by rapid urbanization and ongoing climate change has become one of the most critical environmental challenges of the twenty-first century, particularly in hot and humid coastal cities. In these environments, elevated temperatures combined with high humidity intensify thermal stress and severely diminish outdoor thermal comfort at the neighborhood scale. Although a substantial body of literature has examined urban heat islands (UHIs), the majority of existing studies have concentrated on metropolitan or city-wide scales. Consequently, the precise identification of thermally critical zones—localized urban heat islands—at the finer neighborhood scale, and the systematic examination of their relationship with the physical and morphological characteristics of urban textures, have received comparatively limited attention. This research gap is especially pronounced in coastal urban settings where natural ventilation regimes and microclimatic conditions are strongly influenced by proximity to the sea and by the configuration of the built environment. Determining which parts of a neighborhood are most vulnerable to climate-induced thermal stress and to reductions in natural ventilation is therefore essential. Such knowledge can serve as a robust scientific foundation for prioritizing climate-responsive interventions in urban design and planning, enabling decision-makers to allocate limited resources more effectively toward the enhancement of thermal comfort and the strengthening of climate resilience in coastal fabrics.
Materials & Methods: The present study was designed and conducted with the explicit objective of identifying thermally critical areas within two contrasting coastal urban contexts of Bandar Abbas city: a traditional (native) neighborhood fabric and a more recent, planned (developed) fabric. Field measurements of air temperature and wind speed were carried out at carefully selected monitoring stations distributed throughout both neighborhoods. Data collection was performed systematically to ensure spatial representativeness and temporal consistency. To analyze the thermal behavior of the two fabrics, a combination of spatial trend analysis techniques was employed. The nonparametric Mann–Kendall test was applied to assess the statistical significance of temporal trends in the measured variables, while the Sen’s slope estimator was used to quantify the magnitude and direction of these trends. In addition, threshold analysis was performed to detect points of abrupt change in the behavior of air temperature and wind speed. These change points were interpreted as indicators of the onset of thermally critical conditions. Within the conceptual framework of this research, a thermally critical area is defined as a portion of the neighborhood in which a measurable decline in natural ventilation coincides with a noticeable rise in air temperature, causing local thermal conditions to approach or exceed the upper limits of the human thermal comfort range. This integrated methodological approach allowed for a spatially explicit and statistically rigorous delineation of critical zones.
Findings: The analytical results revealed a statistically significant decreasing trend in wind speed across both the native and developed fabrics, confirming a progressive weakening of natural ventilation in the studied coastal neighborhoods. Despite this shared decline in airflow, the thermal responses of the two fabrics differed markedly. The native texture, characterized by its compact morphology, narrower pathways, and traditional spatial organization, demonstrated greater thermal stability in the face of reduced ventilation; the temporal trend of air-temperature change within this fabric was not statistically significant. In contrast, the developed fabric exhibited heightened sensitivity to the reduction in air movement, displaying a clear positive slope in temperature trends. Thermally critical areas emerged predominantly in the terminal or peripheral sections of the neighborhoods, coinciding spatially and temporally with the most pronounced decreases in wind speed. These findings underscore the differentiated capacity of traditional versus contemporary urban forms to buffer against microclimatic deterioration under conditions of diminishing natural ventilation.
Conclusion: Collectively, the research findings demonstrate that the pattern of natural ventilation and the physical-morphological organization of neighborhoods play decisive roles in the formation and spatial distribution of thermally critical areas. The greater resilience observed in the native fabric highlights the microclimatic advantages inherent in traditional coastal urban patterns, while the heightened vulnerability of the developed fabric points to the need for more careful climatic consideration in contemporary urban design. The methodological approach developed for identifying thermally critical zones offers an efficient and transferable tool for locating priority areas that require climate-oriented interventions. By enabling the precise spatial targeting of design measures, this approach can facilitate the formulation of practical, climate-responsive strategies aimed at improving outdoor thermal comfort and enhancing the overall climate resilience of coastal urban textures. Future applications of the method in other hot-humid coastal cities may further refine its utility and contribute to the development of evidence-based guidelines for sustainable urban planning under conditions of accelerating climate change.

Abstract Aims: The building sector accounts for a large share of global final energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, and improving building energy performance is regarded as a principal pathway toward sustainable development. In Iran, Topic 19 of the National Building Regulations (2020 edition) provides the main regulatory framework for managing building energy consumption, yet the extent to which its requirements align with international standards and rating systems remains insufficiently examined. This study aims to comparatively evaluate the energy performance of a two-storey, 480 m² office building in Kashan against Topic 19, the Swiss Minergie standard, and the Japanese CASBEE rating system, to identify the capacities and shortcomings of Topic 19 relative to international benchmarks, quantify the relationship between climatic parameters and energy consumption under base and optimized conditions, assess the preliminary economic feasibility of the proposed measures, and propose practical strategies for near-zero-energy office buildings in Iran's hot and arid climate.
Materials & Methods: The research is based on dynamic energy simulation of a representative two-storey office building with a net floor area of 480 m² (240 m² per floor), comprising open-plan offices, management rooms, a meeting hall and service spaces. The building is located in Kashan (33°59′N, 51°26′E, 940 m above sea level), classified as BWh (hot and arid) under the Köppen-Geiger system, with a July maximum temperature of 41.9°C, a January minimum of 1.3°C, mean annual precipitation of about 115.2 mm and mean relative humidity of about 35.6%. Hourly weather data were compiled into an EPW file using ten years of synoptic station records (WMO code 40785). Three scenarios were modelled: a base case with uninsulated walls (U=1.89 W/m²K) and roof (U=1.5 W/m²K), single-glazed windows (U=5.7 W/m²K), a 75%-efficiency boiler, a split air conditioner (COP=2.5) and infiltration of 0.8 ACH; an optimized case applying Topic 19 requirements, including wall and roof U-values of 0.48 and 0.35 W/m²K, Low-E windows (U=2 W/m²K), a 90%-efficiency condensing boiler, an inverter split unit (SEER=4.2), infiltration reduced to 0.5 ACH, a 15° reorientation toward the optimal south-facing axis and 0.8 m deep horizontal shading on the south façade; and a renewable-integrated case adding a 40 kWp rooftop photovoltaic array of 114 polycrystalline panels (228 m²). The window-to-wall ratio was 30% on the south and east façades and 20% on the north and west. The model was developed in SketchUp, transferred through OpenStudio to EnergyPlus 23.2, and simulated with a six-minute time step. Validation included an annual energy balance error below 0.5%, sensitivity testing of wall U-value and infiltration rate, and comparison of EUI with comparable office buildings in hot and arid climates. Sequential parametric analysis quantified the contribution of individual measures, while Pearson correlation analysis related monthly climatic parameters to heating, cooling and total energy consumption. The outdoor-air requirement was checked against ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1. A preliminary economic assessment estimated incremental investment costs and simple payback periods (SPP) using 2023 (1402) reference prices, a feed-in tariff of 22,000 IRR/kWh, a retail electricity tariff of 5,472 IRR/kWh and a natural-gas price of 5,000 IRR/m³. Finally, the optimized scenarios were assessed against the CASBEE for Office (2018) checklist and Minergie Standard (2020).
Findings: Annual energy consumption fell from 75,823 kWh in the base case to 58,301 kWh in the Topic-19-optimized case, a reduction of 23.11%, with the largest savings occurring in July and August, the months of peak cooling demand. Sequential parametric analysis showed that optimal orientation (7.03%) and envelope thermal insulation (5.08%) contributed the most to this reduction, followed by efficient heating and cooling systems (4.52%), Low-E windows (3.36%) and horizontal shading (3.12%); because the method is order-dependent, these shares should be read as indicative rather than fixed contributions. The rooftop photovoltaic system generated 40,451 kWh per year, lowering net grid energy demand to 17,850 kWh and yielding a net energy use intensity of 37.19 kWh/m²/year, close to the range reported for near-zero-energy office buildings. Pearson correlation analysis indicated a significant negative relationship between mean monthly temperature and heating consumption (r=−0.59 in the base case, r=−0.579 in the optimized case) and a significant positive relationship between mean and maximum monthly temperature and cooling consumption (r≈0.76 in both cases), while relative humidity correlated negatively with cooling demand, more strongly in the base case (r=−0.687) than in the optimized case (r=−0.659). Checking the reduced infiltration rate (0.5 ACH) against ANSI/ASHRAE 62.1 showed that natural infiltration together with the assumed mechanical supply meets only about 79% of the required outdoor-air rate for the building's occupancy, a roughly 21% shortfall that could raise indoor CO₂ concentrations above 1,000 ppm during peak occupancy, indicating that airtightening measures need to be paired with controlled mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. The preliminary economic assessment showed that the Topic-19 envelope, glazing, HVAC, shading and infiltration measures require an incremental investment of about 774 million Tomans and reduce annual consumption by 17,522 kWh, but because EnergyPlus outputs do not separate the resulting electricity and gas savings, their financial benefit and payback period could not be quantified; the 40 kWp photovoltaic system, by contrast, requires an investment of about 1,000 million Tomans, generates 40,451 kWh/year and, assuming all generated electricity is sold at the feed-in tariff, yields an estimated annual revenue of about 89 million Tomans and a simple payback period of about 11 years and 3 months. Under CASBEE for Office, the building scored 3.5, 3 and 2.5 out of 5 on indoor environmental quality, service quality and outdoor environmental quality respectively, and 4, 3 and 3.5 on energy, resources and materials, and site environment, yielding Q=50, L=37.5, a BEE index of 1.33 and a B+ (Good) rating. Under the Minergie Standard, by contrast, the building failed every applicable criterion: wall and roof U-values of 0.48 and 0.35 W/m²K exceeded the 0.2 W/m²K limit, window U-value of 2 W/m²K exceeded the 1.2 W/m²K limit, mandatory mechanical ventilation with heat recovery was absent, no blower-door air-tightness test was carried out, and fossil-free energy supply was only partially achieved, so no certification level was obtained despite the marked improvement in net EUI.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that Topic 19 offers an effective framework for reducing office building energy consumption in Iran's hot and arid climate and, combined with photovoltaic generation, can bring performance close to advanced international near-zero-energy benchmarks, as reflected in the B+ CASBEE rating. The contrast between the two rating outcomes stems from their different logics: CASBEE is a relative, weighted index (BEE=Q/L) that rewards proportional gains in environmental quality and load reduction, whereas Minergie is a threshold-based standard with absolute, mandatory limits on envelope transmittance, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery and air-tightness testing, so a low net EUI alone does not guarantee compliance. The economic assessment further shows that, of the measures studied, only the photovoltaic system has a directly quantifiable payback (about 11.3 years) under 2023 reference prices, while the financial return on the Topic-19 envelope and system upgrades could not be isolated from the available simulation output; this preliminary analysis excludes discount rates, inflation, maintenance costs and the time value of money, so it should be read as indicative rather than a full life-cycle cost assessment. The reduction in infiltration recommended by Topic 19 also creates a fresh trade-off, since the resulting outdoor-air supply falls short of ANSI/ASHRAE 62.1 requirements, underscoring that airtightening without mechanical ventilation with heat recovery is an incomplete solution. Revising Topic 19 to tighten wall and roof U-value limits, to require or incentivize heat-recovery mechanical ventilation, and to introduce air-tightness testing is recommended as a means of narrowing the gap with Minergie and moving office buildings in similar climates closer to near-zero-energy performance. Because the results derive from a single case study validated only through internal energy-balance and sensitivity checks rather than measured field data, and the CASBEE scoring reflects the authors' self-assessment rather than an independent certification, broader generalization requires further work on more diverse building samples, measured performance data, independent CASBEE assessment, and a comprehensive life-cycle cost analysis.

Abstract Extended Abstract
Aims: Color is one of the most influential components of the physical environment, capable of affecting users' perceptual, emotional, and cognitive experiences and, consequently, supporting creative performance. Previous studies have demonstrated that color influences attention, arousal, mood, and certain cognitive processes. Nevertheless, most existing research has concentrated either on comparing the effects of individual colors or examining color as an isolated environmental variable. Consequently, there is still no evidence-based framework explaining how color should be organized in creative workplaces according to the cognitive requirements of different stages of the creative process.Advertising agencies provide an appropriate context for investigating this issue because their employees are continuously engaged in idea generation, brainstorming, collaborative problem-solving, evaluation, and implementation of creative solutions. Since these activities require different cognitive states, the environmental conditions supporting creativity are unlikely to remain constant throughout the creative process.Accordingly, the present study aimed to develop a conceptual model for applying color in creative workplaces based on Graham Wallas' theory of the creative process. Specifically, the study sought to identify the perceptual components through which users experience workplace colors, interpret these components according to the four stages of Wallas' creative process (Preparation, Incubation, Illumination, and Verification), and propose an evidence-based framework for color organization in creative work environments.
Materials & Methods: This study adopted a qualitative research approach using conventional content analysis. This method was selected because the purpose was to derive concepts directly from participants' experiences rather than imposing predetermined theoretical categories. The theoretical framework of Wallas was intentionally reserved for the interpretation stage after data analysis.Twenty-five semi-structured interviews were conducted using purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. Participants consisted of two groups. The first included university academics and researchers specializing in architecture, interior design, environmental psychology, and color studies. The second group consisted of managers and employees working in advertising agencies in Tehran who possessed direct experience of creative workplace environments.Each interview lasted approximately 30–45 minutes, was audio-recorded with participants' consent, and transcribed verbatim. Interview questions explored participants' perceptions of workplace colors, their experiences of different color qualities, and the perceived influence of color on creative activities.Data were analyzed simultaneously with data collection following the procedure proposed by Graneheim and Lundman (2004). Meaning units were identified, condensed, coded, and gradually grouped into subcategories and main categories using MAXQDA 2020 software. To ensure trustworthiness, Lincoln and Guba's criteria of credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability were applied through purposive participant selection, continuous comparison of codes, transparent documentation of analytical procedures, and systematic review of coding decisions.After completing the inductive analysis, the extracted categories were interpreted within the conceptual framework of Graham Wallas' theory in order to examine their relationships with the cognitive characteristics of different stages of the creative process.
Findings: The findings revealed that participants' perceptions of workplace color are organized around six principal perceptual components: stimulation, energizing quality, calming quality, softness, visual attractiveness, and color functionality. Rather than representing purely aesthetic attributes, these components describe perceptual qualities that support different aspects of creative work.The analysis further demonstrated that each perceptual component corresponds more closely to particular cognitive requirements of specific stages of Wallas' creative process.Stimulation was primarily associated with the Preparation stage, where curiosity, attention, and problem engagement are required. Calming quality and softness were closely related to the Incubation stage by reducing perceptual tension and facilitating sustained concentration and deeper cognitive processing. Energizing quality mainly supported the Illumination stage by enhancing motivation, psychological activation, and participation in idea generation. Visual attractiveness contributed to both the Illumination and Verification stages by encouraging users' engagement with the environment and maintaining their willingness to develop creative ideas. Finally, color functionality was linked primarily to the Verification stage, emphasizing the importance of organizing colors according to functional workplace requirements and different patterns of activity.These findings indicate that the effectiveness of workplace color does not depend on selecting a universally superior color. Instead, successful color design depends on the compatibility between perceived color qualities and the cognitive demands of different creative activities.Based on these findings, the study proposes a conceptual framework for organizing workplace colors according to activity type rather than aesthetic preference. Dynamic color schemes, represented by soft orange hues, are suggested for collaborative areas supporting brainstorming and teamwork. Calm color schemes, represented by light blue hues, are recommended for spaces requiring concentration, analytical thinking, and idea development. Neutral transition zones may facilitate movement, communication, and spatial continuity while maintaining visual coherence across different workplace functions.
Conclusion: The present study contributes to environmental design research by shifting attention from identifying the "best" color toward understanding how perceptual qualities of color can support different stages of the creative process. Unlike previous studies that primarily compared individual colors, this research demonstrates that workplace color should be considered as part of a broader environmental design strategy responding to changing cognitive requirements throughout creative work.The proposed conceptual framework provides an evidence-based foundation for organizing colors in creative workplaces according to users' perceptual experiences and activity-specific cognitive demands. Consequently, the study extends current knowledge by integrating environmental psychology, color perception, and Wallas' theory of creativity into a coherent design framework. From a practical perspective, the proposed model may assist architects, interior designers, and organizational managers in making more informed decisions regarding workplace color planning. Instead of relying solely on personal aesthetic preferences, color organization can be aligned with functional requirements and the cognitive characteristics of creative activities. Despite these contributions, the findings should be interpreted within the limitations of the study. Data were collected exclusively from advertising agencies in Tehran, and the proposed framework has not yet been experimentally validated in other organizational or cultural contexts. Future research is therefore recommended to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed model through experimental and mixed-method studies and to investigate the interaction of color with other environmental variables, including lighting, spatial configuration, materials, and acoustic conditions.

Abstract Freehand drawing in the first year of architectural education is often shaped by a fundamental gap between seeing and drawing. Novice students encounter space, volume, line, depth, texture, light, and material qualities, yet they do not always know how to translate these visual experiences into architectural drawing, sketching, rendering, and representational judgment. This study addresses this pedagogical gap by examining the use of artificial intelligence in teaching freehand drawing to undergraduate architecture students. Rather than approaching AI as a substitute for manual drawing or as a tool for producing final visual outputs, the study conceptualizes it as a visual mediator that can make the implicit logic of drawing more visible, discussable, and pedagogically actionable. The main aim of the research is to formulate and evaluate the “AI-based Visual Mediation Model” as an instructional approach for strengthening students’ representational understanding in architectural freehand drawing.
The research was conducted through a design-based educational research approach, supported by qualitative and descriptive analysis, in the Architectural Representation I and II courses at Shahid Beheshti University during the 2025–2026 academic year. In the first semester, one group of 16 students out of 62 first-year architecture students participated in the initial phase of the intervention. In the second semester, three groups, comprising approximately 37 students, were included in the observation and instructional intervention process. The educational intervention was implemented across selected sessions within the two-semester course sequence and involved a gradual movement from direct observation and manual drawing toward AI-generated intermediate representations, guided analysis, redrawing, rendering, and final visual organization.
The data included students’ initial and intermediate drawings, AI-generated visual mediations, the instructor’s observational notes, classroom feedback, analytical rubrics for freehand drawing and rendering, and expert evaluations of selected final works. The findings indicate that, when accompanied by the instructor’s analytical guidance, AI-generated intermediary images can help students recognize the structural logic of lines, vanishing directions, spatial depth, foreground-background differentiation, texture control, preservation of white space, tonal hierarchy, and purposeful rendering. The model was particularly effective in shifting students’ attention from merely copying visual appearances toward understanding the selective and interpretive nature of architectural representation. It also supported the transition from isolated drawing exercises to more complex visual compositions, including rendered sheets and organized architectural presentations.
The study concludes that the pedagogical value of AI in this context does not lie in accelerating image production or replacing the hand, but in altering the quality of students’ visual attention. In the proposed model, AI functions as an intermediate visual layer through which students can compare, question, analyze, and return more consciously to manual drawing. Accordingly, AI becomes not an alternative to freehand drawing, but a means of deepening the relationship between observation, interpretation, and hand-based architectural representation.

Abstract Aims: The building sector is one of the largest consumers of global energy and a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Growing concerns regarding climate change, depletion of fossil fuel resources, and increasing energy demand have intensified the need for innovative technologies capable of improving building energy efficiency while maintaining indoor thermal comfort. Among passive thermal energy storage technologies, Phase Change Materials (PCMs) have attracted considerable attention because of their ability to absorb, store, and release large amounts of latent heat within a narrow temperature range. When incorporated into building envelope components, PCMs can moderate indoor temperature fluctuations, reduce heating and cooling loads, and improve overall thermal performance. However, the practical application of conventional PCM systems has been constrained by several limitations, including low thermal conductivity, leakage during phase transition, inadequate long-term thermal stability, and incompatibility with conventional construction materials. These shortcomings have stimulated the development of advanced PCM generations with enhanced thermal, mechanical, and environmental performance. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the technological evolution of PCM systems, evaluate the characteristics of new-generation PCMs, compare their performance with earlier generations, and assess their contribution to improving the thermal performance of buildings through integration into building panels.
Materials & Methods: This study was conducted using a review-analytical approach. Relevant scientific publications concerning Phase Change Materials and their applications in building thermal performance were systematically collected from reputable international and national scientific databases. The selected literature comprised review papers, experimental investigations, numerical simulations, and field studies focusing on PCM integration into building envelopes and panel systems. The studies were classified according to the technological evolution of PCM systems, including conventional macro-encapsulated PCMs, micro-encapsulated PCMs, shape-stabilized PCMs, nano-enhanced composite PCMs, and bio-based or smart PCM systems. Comparative analyses were carried out using criteria including thermal conductivity, latent heat storage capacity, phase stability, leakage resistance, compatibility with building materials, cycling durability, and applicability in building panels. Representative case studies were further examined to evaluate the practical performance of different PCM generations under real and simulated building conditions, providing a comprehensive understanding of their technological progression and their contribution to building energy efficiency.
Findings: The reviewed literature demonstrates that the technological evolution of PCMs has substantially improved their applicability in the building sector. Early-generation PCMs introduced latent heat storage into buildings but were restricted by leakage, low thermal conductivity, limited cycling durability, and difficulties in integration with construction materials. The development of microencapsulation and shape-stabilization technologies significantly improved material stability and leakage resistance, enabling safer incorporation into building panels. Subsequently, nano-enhanced PCMs containing graphene, carbon nanotubes, and metallic nanoparticles considerably increased thermal conductivity and accelerated heat transfer during charging and discharging processes, resulting in faster thermal response and more efficient utilization of latent heat. Bio-based PCMs further represent an important step toward environmentally sustainable thermal storage solutions while maintaining satisfactory thermal performance. Overall, integrating advanced PCMs into building panels enhances the thermal inertia of building envelopes, reduces peak heating and cooling loads, improves indoor thermal comfort, and contributes to considerable energy savings. Nevertheless, production cost, large-scale commercialization, long-term durability under real climatic conditions, and the absence of standardized evaluation procedures remain major barriers to widespread implementation.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that the evolution of PCM technologies has transformed them from conventional latent heat storage materials into multifunctional systems capable of actively improving building thermal performance. Compared with earlier generations, nano-enhanced, shape-stabilized, microencapsulated, and bio-based PCMs provide higher thermal conductivity, improved cycling stability, better leakage control, and greater compatibility with modern construction materials. These improvements significantly strengthen the potential of PCM-integrated building panels to reduce energy consumption, improve indoor thermal comfort, and support the development of sustainable and low-energy buildings. However, broader implementation requires overcoming technical and economic challenges, particularly cost reduction, long-term field validation, standardized performance assessment methods, and comprehensive life-cycle evaluation. Future research should therefore focus on adaptive intelligent PCM systems, integration with renewable energy technologies and smart building management systems, optimization for different climatic conditions, and large-scale practical applications to facilitate the widespread adoption of advanced PCM technologies in energy-efficient buildings.

Abstract Aims: Light is one of the fundamental elements in human perception and constitutes a key factor in understanding, experiencing, and interpreting architectural space. Beyond its physical function of enabling vision and providing adequate illumination, light plays an important role in defining spatial character, organizing visual experience, and communicating architectural meaning. The interaction between light and shadow affects the perception of form, scale, depth, texture, color, and spatial hierarchy, while also influencing the emotional and psychological responses of users. In Islamic architectural thought, the significance of light extends beyond its physical and aesthetic dimensions and acquires symbolic, philosophical, and spiritual meanings. Light is frequently associated with divine truth, knowledge, purity, guidance, and spiritual enlightenment. Accordingly, this study aims to examine the role of light in the perception and experience of different aspects of architectural space by considering both its physical characteristics and its symbolic significance in Islamic architectural thought. The study seeks to clarify how light contributes to the formation of spatial identity and how the integration of physical and metaphysical dimensions can enrich the architectural experience.
Materials & Methods: This research employed a descriptive–analytical method based on the review, interpretation, and analysis of theoretical literature related to architecture, environmental perception, visual experience, and Islamic philosophy. Relevant theoretical and conceptual sources concerning the physical properties of light, human visual perception, environmental psychology, architectural composition, and the symbolic role of light in Islamic culture were examined. The study focused on the relationship between light and major architectural components, including form, geometry, proportion, color, texture, materiality, openings, spatial hierarchy, and organization. Particular attention was given to the ways in which the intensity, direction, distribution, quality, and contrast of light influence the perception of architectural elements and the overall experience of space. The symbolic and philosophical meanings attributed to light in Islamic thought were also analyzed to identify the relationship between illumination, spirituality, and architectural expression. The findings were interpreted through an integrated architectural, perceptual, psychological, and philosophical perspective. The research was conceptual and theoretical in nature and did not involve experimental observation, field measurement, or quantitative assessment. Findings: The findings indicate that light is a fundamental component in the perception, interpretation, and experience of architectural space. It enables individuals to recognize architectural forms, identify spatial boundaries, understand relationships between different elements, and perceive details that might otherwise remain visually indistinguishable. The interaction of light and shadow creates visual depth, establishes contrast, emphasizes architectural forms, and contributes to the hierarchy and identity of spaces. Variations in the quality, intensity, direction, and distribution of light can significantly alter the perceived character of an architectural environment. Light can make a space appear larger, smaller, more open, enclosed, intimate, dynamic, or tranquil, demonstrating its important role in shaping spatial perception. In addition, lighting conditions influence users’ psychological and emotional responses, including feelings of comfort, tranquility, security, happiness, concentration, and contemplation. The findings further demonstrate that light interacts closely with architectural geometry, proportion, color, material, and spatial organization, thereby strengthening the aesthetic coherence of the built environment. In Islamic architecture, these physical and perceptual functions are complemented by symbolic meanings. Light can operate as a representation of divine presence, wisdom, truth, purity, and spiritual enlightenment. Through controlled illumination, filtered daylight, openings, courtyards, domes, screens, and the deliberate creation of light–shadow contrasts, Islamic buildings establish distinctive spatial experiences that encourage reflection and contemplation. Consequently, light serves as a medium through which the physical characteristics of architectural space can be connected with spiritual and metaphysical concepts.
Conclusion: Light should be regarded as a fundamental architectural element rather than merely a technical requirement for illumination. Its role extends across functional, perceptual, aesthetic, psychological, symbolic, and spiritual dimensions. Light shapes visual perception, enhances spatial quality, emphasizes architectural characteristics, influences emotional responses, and contributes to the formation of architectural identity. The integration of physical and symbolic dimensions of light is particularly evident in Islamic architecture, where illumination functions simultaneously as a means of revealing physical space and expressing deeper philosophical and spiritual meanings. Understanding these multiple dimensions can assist architects and designers in developing environments that respond more effectively to human perceptual, emotional, and spiritual needs. Therefore, thoughtful lighting design and the deliberate integration of natural and artificial light with architectural form, geometry, material, and spatial organization are essential for creating architectural environments that successfully combine functionality, aesthetics, human experience, and symbolic significance. Such an integrated approach can strengthen the relationship between users and their built environment and contribute to the creation of meaningful, harmonious, and culturally responsive architectural spaces.

Abstract Aims: The relationship between architecture and poetry is fundamentally rooted in their shared capacity to structure human experience, transforming the mundane into profound, perceptual, and interpretive forms. In the Divan of Hafez, architectural elements and spatial settings are not merely decorative appendages or fleeting imagery; they are foundational components of a complex semiotic apparatus. However, prevailing scholarship has frequently reduced these elements to isolated metaphors, symbols, or static descriptive markers, thereby neglecting the systemic structural relationships that govern the formation of “poetic space.” This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating how architectural and spatial signs are organized within the poetic fabric of Hafez’s work. By deconstructing the internal architecture of the ghazals, this research seeks to elucidate how structural relationships contribute to the production of meaning and the consolidation of poetic spatiality. Furthermore, it aims to develop a robust typology of “architectural spatial syntax,” analyzing the transition of architectural elements from their conventional physical utilities to multifaceted cultural, mystical, perceptual, and interpretive meanings. Ultimately, this inquiry explores how the Divan functions as a built environment of language, where spatial configurations engage in the construction of subjective experience, spiritual movement, and interpretive depth. Materials & Methods: This qualitative study employs an analytical-interpretive methodology, rigorously grounded in the principles of structural semiotics. The primary corpus consists of selected ghazals from the Divan of Hafez, specifically focusing on verses where architectural, spatial, and place-related elements serve as active agents in the generation of meaning. The selection criteria were not restricted to the mere frequency of architectural lexicon; rather, they were determined by the functional role of these signs—their relational positioning, their participation in oppositional structures, and their integration with verbs, motion, spatial orientation, and poetic imagery. The unit of analysis was calibrated to the scope of spatial signification, varying between the individual verse and the broader context of the entire ghazal. The analytical process proceeded through two interconnected, hierarchical levels. First, the “morphology of space” was established to identify, categorize, and code architectural elements based on their dominant spatial properties and semantic functions. Second, the “syntax of space” was applied to examine the syntagmatic, paradigmatic, and dialectic relations among these elements—analyzing how juxtapositions, displacements, and oppositions generate meaning. By delineating these two levels, the study moves beyond impressionistic reading, establishing a formal grammar of spatial signs that accounts for the coherence of Hafez’s spatial imagination. This methodology ensures that the findings are rooted in the internal logic of the text, rather than relying on external historical or diachronic explanations. Findings: The findings demonstrate that the poetic quality of architectural space in Hafez’s work does not derive from the singular presence of architectural vocabulary, but from the sophisticated ways in which spatial signs are combined, displaced, and reinterpreted within the poetic structure. At the level of the morphology of space, four principal categories emerged: “threshold and boundary,” which map the liminality of presence; “verticality and transcendence,” which activate the axis of spiritual ascent; “passage and separation,” which represent the dynamics of transit; and “light and vision,” which transform spatiality into an epistemological field of revelation. At the level of the syntax of space, the study identified four composite spatial types: “spaces of formal ritual and asceticism”; “spaces of Rind-like liberation and manifestation”; “spaces of presence and boundary” ; and “spaces of openness and unstable dwelling”. These types do not exist as static objects but emerge through the constant tension of syntagmatic and oppositional relations. Through the mechanism of “defamiliarization” Hafez strips these elements of their normative functions, re-coding them within a poetic system that facilitates multifaceted cultural and mystical discourse. The principal innovation of this research lies in establishing a structural correspondence between spatial morphology and syntactic organization, proving that meaning in Hafez’s work is a product of relational dynamics rather than isolated imagery. Conclusion: This study concludes that architectural space in Hafez’s Divan constitutes a dynamic and cohesive signifying system, where meaning is generated through the continuous interaction of elements, spatial relations, and cultural codes. The architectural syntax of Hafez is not predicated on static references to built forms, but on the structural logic through which physical reality is transcended and transformed into an experiential, symbolic, and interpretive field. The displacement of the “dominant function” of architectural elements stands as a central mechanism in the poetic construction of this space, rendering the familiar unfamiliar and the physical metaphysical. For the field of architecture, the significance of this reading lies not in the formal mimicry of historical motifs, but in the extraction and transfer of a logic of spatial relation. Concepts such as “threshold and boundary” offer a framework for rethinking architectural pause, delay, and entry sequences; “movement and passage” provide a grammar for organizing circulation and transitional arrival; while “light and vision” suggest methods for orchestrating discovery and phenomenological shifts in perception. By bridging the gap between literary critique and architectural theory, this research proposes a productive dialogue between the architect as a literary reader and the literary-minded architect. It argues that architecture and poetry converge in their shared capacity to organize human relations and experience. Consequently, this study suggests that architectural education can be enriched by encouraging students to transition from the passive observation of elements to the active decoding of spatial relations—translating the experiential logic found in literary texts into a more reflexive and meaningful spatial organization.

Abstract Aims: The quality of office environments cannot be understood solely in terms of functional efficiency or the provision of appropriate physical conditions. Employees spend a considerable part of their daily lives in workplaces, and the spatial characteristics of these environments can influence how they move, interact, concentrate, perceive environmental quality, and develop psychological relationships with their workplace. In this context, workplace attachment represents an important outcome of the continuous interaction between employees and the built environment. Previous studies have generally examined particular aspects of office environments, such as spatial configuration, privacy, territoriality, environmental comfort, flexibility, density, or personalization, while fewer studies have simultaneously investigated the relationships among physical characteristics, employees’ environmental experience and perception, and workplace attachment within an integrated framework. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to analyze the effects of the physical components of functional spaces on employees’ workplace attachment, with particular emphasis on the mediating role of environmental experience and perception in Tabriz Municipality buildings. The study conceptualized the relationship between employees and office environments through three interconnected levels: the designed physical environment, the environment as experienced and perceived by employees, and the resulting attachment to the workplace. Accordingly, the study examined whether physical components directly influence workplace attachment and whether a substantial part of this relationship is transmitted through employees’ experience and perception of their working environment.
Materials & Methods: This applied study adopted a quantitative approach and was conducted using a survey-based correlational design. The statistical population consisted of 17,852 employees of Tabriz Municipality. Based on Cochran’s formula, the required sample size was determined to be 376 employees. To compensate for possible non-response and incomplete questionnaires, 420 questionnaires were distributed, of which 376 complete and usable questionnaires were ultimately included in the statistical analyses. The research instrument consisted of 46 items measured on a five-point Likert scale and organized into 15 dimensions under three main constructs. The physical components of functional spaces included 23 items and six dimensions: spatial organization and configuration; flexibility, adaptation, and layout; privacy, control, and territoriality; density and shared spaces; connection with nature and outdoor environments; and indoor environmental quality. Environmental experience and perception consisted of 11 items and four dimensions: perceived comfort, privacy, and control; environmental evaluation and fit; concentration, interaction, and autonomy; and overall environmental experience and quality. Workplace attachment was assessed through 12 items and five dimensions: emotional bond and feeling at home; place identity and pride; functional dependence; continuity of relationship with the workplace; and psychological ownership and social bonds. Preliminary analyses included descriptive statistics, assessment of data normality, examination of common method bias using Harman’s single-factor test, and Pearson correlation analysis among the three main constructs. The measurement model was subsequently assessed through first-order confirmatory factor analysis, in which the 46 observed items were evaluated in relation to the 15 dimensions, followed by second-order confirmatory factor analysis linking the 15 dimensions to the three principal constructs. Reliability and convergent validity were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, and average variance extracted. Model fit was evaluated using χ²/df, GFI, AGFI, CFI, TLI, IFI, RMSEA, and SRMR. Finally, the structural relationships were tested using covariance-based structural equation modeling in AMOS 24. The mediating role of environmental experience and perception was evaluated through bootstrapping with 5,000 resamples and a 95% confidence interval.
Findings: The results supported the adequacy of both the measurement and structural models. All 46 observed items were retained in the first-order confirmatory factor analysis, with standardized factor loadings ranging from 0.65 to 0.88 and critical ratio values exceeding the acceptable threshold. The first-order measurement model demonstrated satisfactory fit, with χ²/df equal to 2.05, GFI equal to 0.91, AGFI equal to 0.89, CFI equal to 0.94, TLI equal to 0.93, IFI equal to 0.94, RMSEA equal to 0.053, and SRMR equal to 0.047. The second-order confirmatory factor analysis also confirmed the hierarchical organization of the 15 dimensions under the three main constructs. Among the physical dimensions, spatial organization and configuration had the strongest loading. Overall environmental experience and quality showed the strongest loading within environmental experience and perception, while emotional bond and feeling at home had the strongest loading within workplace attachment. The second-order model also demonstrated satisfactory fit, with χ²/df equal to 2.02, GFI equal to 0.92, AGFI equal to 0.90, CFI equal to 0.95, TLI equal to 0.94, IFI equal to 0.95, RMSEA equal to 0.052, and SRMR equal to 0.045. Pearson correlations indicated positive and significant relationships among all three constructs. Structural equation modeling showed that physical components of functional spaces had a positive and significant effect on environmental experience and perception, with a standardized coefficient of 0.68. Environmental experience and perception, in turn, had a positive and significant effect on workplace attachment, with a standardized coefficient of 0.57. The direct effect of physical components on workplace attachment remained positive and significant, with a coefficient of 0.27. Physical components explained 46% of the variance in environmental experience and perception, while physical components together with environmental experience and perception explained 60% of the variance in workplace attachment. Bootstrapping further demonstrated a significant indirect effect of physical components on workplace attachment through environmental experience and perception, with a standardized coefficient of 0.39 and a 95% confidence interval ranging from 0.29 to 0.48. Since both the direct and indirect effects remained significant, environmental experience and perception played a partial mediating role. The total effect of physical components on workplace attachment was 0.66. These results indicate that the indirect pathway through employees’ environmental experience and perception is stronger than the remaining direct relationship between physical conditions and workplace attachment.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that the relationship between office architecture and employees’ workplace attachment cannot be explained merely through the direct effects of physical characteristics. Physical qualities acquire greater psychological and behavioral significance when they are translated into positive everyday experiences of comfort, legibility, functional fit, autonomy, interaction, privacy, and environmental quality. Thus, environmental experience and perception constitute a key connecting mechanism between the built workplace and employees’ attachment to it. The principal scientific contribution of the study is the empirical confirmation of an integrated three-level framework connecting observed physical characteristics, employees’ environmental experience and perception, and workplace attachment. This framework suggests a conceptual sequence from the designed space to the experienced space and ultimately to the attached space. Accordingly, improving office environments should not be restricted to physical interventions alone. Spatial organization and legibility, flexibility, privacy and individual control, opportunities for social interaction, access to nature and outdoor environments, and indoor environmental quality should be designed and evaluated according to how employees actually experience them in everyday work. The findings therefore provide an evidence-based basis for evaluating and improving existing municipal office buildings and for developing more human-centered approaches to the design of future administrative workplaces.

Abstract The Persian garden, as one of the most prominent models of landscape architecture, represents the systematic integration of humans and nature. However, no comprehensive model has yet been developed to simultaneously explain the dimensions and components shaping this relationship. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to investigate the dimensions and components of human–nature interaction in the Persian garden and to organize them into a conceptual model. In terms of purpose, this research is fundamental; in terms of nature, it is exploratory; and in terms of data collection, it is descriptive–survey. The study was conducted using a mixed-methods approach. In the qualitative phase, the research components were identified through content analysis of the literature. Their validity was subsequently assessed using the Delphi method based on expert opinions, and the resulting data were further analyzed through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). The findings led to the identification of four principal dimensions—perceptual–semantic, functional–behavioral, physical–spatial, and cultural–social—and six underlying factors: perceptual quality, sense of space, spatial interaction, place identity, cultural dynamism, and place memory. The results indicate that the perceptual–semantic dimension plays the most significant role in explaining human–nature interaction, while perceptual quality emerged as the most influential factor. The principal contribution of this study is the development of an integrated conceptual model that systematically organizes the four key dimensions and their associated factors into a coherent framework while clarifying their relative importance. The findings demonstrate that human–nature interaction in the Persian garden is the outcome of the synergistic interplay among perceptual, physical, behavioral, and cultural dimensions. Simultaneous consideration of these dimensions provides a comprehensive basis for the analysis, design, conservation, and evaluation of Persian gardens as well as other landscape environments

Abstract Architecture education environments constitute an important part of students’ everyday academic experience, extending beyond the provision of spaces for acquiring architectural knowledge and design skills. The spatial configuration of studios, workshops, collective areas, circulation routes, open spaces, and connections between indoor and outdoor environments can shape how students perceive, use, and attach meaning to their educational surroundings. Although previous research has examined sense of place in educational environments, much of the existing literature has focused on the evaluation of existing settings and the measurement of users’ perceptions, satisfaction, or environmental preferences. Comparatively less attention has been given to how students mentally represent a desirable architecture education environment and which architectural qualities become prominent in these representations. This gap is particularly relevant in architecture education, where students are continuously exposed to spatial design, visual analysis, critique, collaborative work, and direct engagement with the built environment. Their representations of an ideal educational setting may therefore provide a valuable source for understanding the qualities through which an architecture school is perceived and experienced as a meaningful place.

Accordingly, this study aimed to identify and interpret the qualitative components represented in architecture students’ mental images of a desirable educational environment and to examine their relevance to the experience and perception of sense of place. A qualitative analytical research design was adopted, with a phenomenological perspective used as a conceptual and interpretive lens for understanding environmental experience and perception. Freehand sketches were employed as the primary source of visual data, allowing students to express spatial ideas and environmental qualities without being restricted by predetermined response categories. Following an initial review of the collected material and assessment of data sufficiency, 64 legible sketches produced by undergraduate and graduate architecture students were selected for analysis. The sketches were examined using ATLAS.ti 9 through an iterative process of coding, interpretive reading, comparison across cases, and conceptual organization. The analysis resulted in the identification of 49 qualitative components, which were subsequently organized according to their conceptual relationships and interpreted within the theoretical framework of sense of place.

The findings indicate that students’ representations of a desirable architecture education environment are characterized by an interconnected set of physical spatial, perceptual semantic, and activity social qualities. Among the most prominent components were natural daylight within atrium and central spaces, regular geometry and centralized spatial organization, straight lines and right angles, integration of nature and architecture, spaces supporting interaction and group work, and spatial transparency accompanied by visual connections among educational activities. These qualities frequently appeared in association with one another rather than as isolated architectural features. Natural daylight, for example, was represented in relation to central spatial configurations, collective areas, and connections with the exterior, while the presence of nature was associated with open spaces, visual qualities, opportunities for pause, and social interaction. Similarly, spatial transparency connected architectural organization with the visibility of educational activities, interaction, and a sense of participation within the academic environment. Differences were also observed between undergraduate and graduate students. Graduate students more frequently represented centralized spatial organizations, greater vertical development, and spaces supporting interaction, whereas undergraduate students placed greater emphasis on curved forms, color, and decorative elements.

Overall, the findings suggest that students’ sense of place in architecture education environments cannot be adequately understood through individual physical features alone. Instead, it emerges as a multidimensional experience in which spatial configuration, perceptual and semantic qualities, and patterns of educational and social activity are closely interconnected. The study contributes to the literature by demonstrating the value of students’ freehand sketches as a qualitative means of accessing mental representations of desirable educational environments and by connecting these visual representations with the broader concept of sense of place. The findings provide a basis for further comparative research across architecture schools and educational contexts and may inform design approaches that respond more closely to students’ spatial experience, perception, and expectations.

Abstract Extended Abstract
Aims: Population ageing has increased the importance of residential care environments that support older adults not only in terms of safety, accessibility and care, but also in relation to autonomy, continuity of identity, meaningful daily activities, memory and a sense of home. Prior evidence remains fragmented across physical, social and psychological domains. The present study conceptualized evocative architecture as a relational approach in which environmental features become meaningful when they are perceivable and usable, allow a degree of choice and control, and connect present experience with familiar routines, memories, identity and relationships. Environment-behavior synomorphy was used to explain structural congruence between patterns of action and environmental components. The primary aim was therefore to explain and content-validate the components of evocative architecture based on synomorphy. Content validation was defined specifically as expert appraisal of the adequacy of coverage of the eight proposed components and the necessity, relevance and clarity of the items operationalizing them. A secondary aim was to examine internal consistency and between-centre differences in the field implementation of the 27-item structure; the study did not claim construct validation.
Materials & Methods: The research was applied in purpose and descriptive-analytical, exploratory and comparative in design. Component formulation combined theoretical review, semi-structured interviews, environmental observation and item development. Content validation was conducted at two levels using five direct expert forms completed by specialists in architecture and ageing environments, architecture and environmental psychology, gerontological nursing, occupational therapy/rehabilitation, and technical management of elderly care facilities. At the component level, experts rated the adequacy of content coverage of each of the eight dimensions on a four-point scale. At the item level, each of the 27 items was rated for necessity, relevance and clarity. Item-level content validity, scale-level average content validity and universal agreement, and the content validity ratio were calculated from the expert ratings. Five additional interview-based forms that had been reconstructed from previous field interviews and subsequently checked by responsible centre staff were treated only as supplementary qualitative evidence and were excluded from numerical content-validity calculations. The field dataset comprised 23 older residents from four residential care centres in Tabriz. For comparative reporting, the centres were anonymized as C1 (n=5), C2 (n=8), C3 (n=4) and C4 (n=6). These codes are research identifiers only and do not indicate rank or quality. Field data were analyzed separately for internal consistency and comparative assessment. Cronbach's alpha was used for reliability. Between-centre comparisons were conducted with Kruskal-Wallis tests; significant omnibus results were followed by Mann-Whitney U comparisons with Holm correction, and epsilon-squared was reported as an effect-size measure.
Findings: At the component level, the mean adequacy-of-coverage rating was 3.925 out of 4. Six dimensions received a mean score of 4.00; calmness/sense of home/willingness to stay received 3.60 and social connection/visits/support received 3.80. At the item level, item-level content-validity values ranged from 0.80 to 1.00; 26 items had complete expert agreement on relevance and item 27 had a value of 0.80. The scale-level average was 0.993, universal agreement was 0.963, and the clarity index was 1.00 for all items. The content validity ratio was 1.00 for 22 items, 0.60 for items 5, 25 and 26, and 0.20 for items 9 and 27. Thus, the framework showed very high content coverage and relevance, while five items showed lower expert consensus on necessity and were treated as content-sensitive items without undermining the coverage of their corresponding components. In the independent field analysis, the overall questionnaire showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.920), with dimension-level alphas ranging from 0.624 to 0.962. Sensory comfort had the highest mean (4.41), followed by nature and outdoor space (3.91), movement/accessibility/legibility/safety (3.83), and social connection/visits/support (3.75). Memory/association/continuity with past life (2.59) and calmness/sense of home/willingness to stay (2.72) were lowest. Kruskal-Wallis tests showed significant centre differences in movement/accessibility/legibility/safety (H=12.184, p=0.007), sensory comfort (H=8.909, p=0.031), nature/outdoor space (H=12.723, p=0.005), and social connection/visits/support (H=8.744, p=0.033). After Holm correction, C2 versus C3 remained significant for movement/accessibility/legibility/safety (adjusted p=0.047) and nature/outdoor space (adjusted p=0.044).
Conclusion: The results support the content validity of the proposed eight-component framework, particularly in terms of coverage, relevance and clarity. The lower consensus on necessity for five item formulations was interpreted as a content-sensitive finding rather than evidence against the corresponding components, because component coverage was assessed independently. The field findings provide complementary evidence of high overall internal consistency and show that some dimensions distinguish between the residential settings included in the study. The combined findings support a relational interpretation of evocative architecture in which basic environmental qualities such as sensory comfort, accessibility and contact with nature are important but are not sufficient by themselves to account for the broader relationship between environment, action and experience. The framework organizes the components into three interconnected theoretical levels-perception and use, choice and control, and meaning and continuity-with synomorphy functioning as the linking mechanism. The main contribution of the study is therefore the conceptual formulation and content-based support of an eight-component framework that translates the relationship between environmental qualities, action possibilities and experienced meaning into researchable indicators for residential environments of older adults.

Abstract Aims
Daylight plays a critical role in shaping both the visual performance and melanopic effects of indoor environments, influencing circadian rhythms, alertness, and overall well-being. In office environments, where occupants typically spend a substantial portion of their daytime indoors, the quality and quantity of daylight are particularly important. Despite its importance, the effectiveness of daylight in interior spaces is often constrained by spatial geometry and orientation, which affect daylight penetration, distribution, and biological impact. However, daylight performance is not determined solely by window characteristics or façade design. The spatial configuration of an interior space, including its depth, width, and overall proportions, directly influences the penetration and spatial distribution of daylight. Building orientation further modifies these conditions by determining the amount, direction, and temporal pattern of solar radiation entering the space. Despite the growing interest in considering both visual and non-visual aspects of daylight, the combined influence of spatial proportions and cardinal orientation on visual performance and melanopic effects has received comparatively limited attention. This study aims to investigate the influence of spatial proportions and cardinal orientation on visual performance and melanopic effects of daylight in office spaces in Tehran, with particular emphasis on the relationship between room geometry and the balance between visual daylight performance and melanopic exposure.

Research Method
A total of 81 test rooms with different spatial dimensions and proportions were modeled under four cardinal orientations. The test rooms were developed to represent variations in spatial configuration while maintaining comparable boundary conditions for systematic comparison. The daylight performance of the test rooms was evaluated using both visual performance and melanopic effects indicators. Equivalent Melanopic Lux (EML) was used to assess the melanopic effects of daylight, while Spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA) and Annual Sunlight Exposure (ASE) were used to evaluate visual performance of daylight. Melanopic effects of daylight conditions were simulated using the ALFA plugin, while visual performance of daylight was analyzed using Ladybug Tools. The results were examined comparatively across the different spatial proportions and orientations to determine the extent to which room geometry and orientation affect the magnitude, distribution, and temporal characteristics of daylight. Particular attention was given to the relationships and potential trade-offs among EML, sDA, and ASE rather than evaluating each indicator independently.

Results and Discussion
The results indicate that the depth-to-width ratio is a determining factor in the daylight behavior of office spaces and can simultaneously affect EML, sDA, and ASE. Changes in spatial proportions affect the penetration and distribution of daylight within the room, thereby modifying both the availability of daylight and its melanopic component. The effect of room geometry, however, varies according to cardinal orientation, demonstrating that spatial proportions cannot be interpreted independently of the direction of the façade. Among the four orientations, the southern orientation showed the highest daylight availability and EML values due to greater solar exposure; however, increased direct solar radiation near the window was associated with higher ASE and a greater potential for visual performance issues. In the northern orientation, lower sDA and EML values were observed, while daylight distribution was more uniform and direct solar exposure was lower. The eastern and western orientations exhibited greater temporal variation in daylight performance, reflecting differences in the timing of solar exposure throughout the day. These findings highlight that a spatial configuration that increases daylight availability does not necessarily produce the same response across all orientations or across visual and melanopic indicators.

Conclusion
The findings demonstrate that spatial proportions cannot be evaluated independently of building orientation when assessing integrated visual performance and melanopic effects of daylight. Appropriate selection of room depth, width, and their ratio, together with consideration of cardinal orientation, can contribute to achieving a more balanced daylight environment in office spaces. Consequently, room depth, width, and their ratio should not be considered independently from cardinal orientation when visual performance and melanopic effects of daylight are evaluated simultaneously. Appropriate selection of spatial proportions, together with orientation-sensitive design decisions, can contribute to achieving a more balanced daylight environment by considering both daylight availability and melanopic exposure while limiting excessive direct solar exposure. The results provide a basis for considering spatial geometry as an important design parameter in the early stages of architectural design, particularly when visual performance and melanopic effects of daylight are considered simultaneously. The study emphasizes the importance of incorporating spatial geometry into daylight design at the early stages of architectural design, rather than treating daylight performance solely as a consequence of window or façade configuration. By considering visual and melanopic dimensions together, the findings provide a basis for a more integrated interpretation of daylight performance in office environments in Tehran and support the consideration of room proportions and orientation as complementary design parameters in early architectural decision-making.

Abstract Aims: All psychologists of child development believe that the main core of developmental theories is interaction of an individual with the environment. Based on the empirical studies of children’s outdoor activities, the environment affects the child behavior; so that by changing the environment, the child behavior will change. Today, the population growth of cities on the one hand, and rising land prices on the other, has created overcrowded residential environments. Living in such environments has had a negative impact on the individual and social health of residents. Children, as the most vulnerable group of society, are at greater risk of being exposed to changes in physical and social environments than other groups. So, in the present study, designing the residential complex neighborhood as a childlike environment and responsive to the kids play needs and consequently affecting their social development has the great importance. Research literature has shown that the Environmental affordance to motivate kids to play is associated with increasing sensory stimulation and social interactions. Therefore, it is possible to determine the design principles of the residential complex neighborhood in such a way that by increasing the kid’s sensory stimulations and social interaction, his or her motivation to play can be increased. This paper focused on fostering children's play within the in-between spaces of residential complexes; it objected to explain the relevant design principles by examining the nature of the interaction between children and their residential environment. Based on the existing literature, the study posits that physical-functional and cognitive-perceptual factors (by creating affordances such as versatility, supervisability, vitality, legibility, and coherence) can generate and enhance the motivation for children to engage in play within these spaces. Measuring children's attitude is a good way to examine children’s views and how they behave in residential complex neighborhood. By the help of a user-centered approach, the present article intended to explain the design principles of the residential complex neighborhood for kids’ motivation to play.
Materials & Methods: To achieve this goal, first in the research studies and subject explanation, logical argumentation research method was used to formulate the research hypothesis. Hypothesis testing was conducted using survey based on Delphi method. In the following, based on the relationship between the variables, a hypothetical model was proposed and the design principles were extracted. In the last step, these design principles were transformed into comprehensible images for kids (3 to 6 years old), and then put to the test of them living in mid-rise and medium-sized residential complex of Isfahan (Moshtagh and Olive). Indeed in this study, the perspectives of experts were first examined using an adult-centered approach; subsequently, to validate the findings, a child-centered approach was employed to incorporate children's input regarding the experts' views.
Findings: In this survey, the majority of the kids expressed their interest with great enthusiasm and excitement towards these changes. In the following, some of the limitations aroused were stated and their motivation to present and play in the residential complex neighborhood were retested. Despite the concerns, at the end of the test, their motivations were still above 90%. Therefore, it can be concluded that this test emphasized the validity of the research results.
Conclusion:. The research results showed that children tend to the physical environment in order to satisfy the play need as a factor of intrinsic motivation. On the other hand, the physical environmental stimuli, as a factor of extrinsic motivation, have an important role in kids‟ motivation to free play. Regarding the theory of affordances (1979), the final result is creating environmental affordances called environmental affordances to motivate kids to play. Finally, the design principles were: playfulness of natural stimulus elements; combination of natural and man-made elements; designing legible spaces; designing controllable spaces (direct-indirect); designing spaces with diverse environmental affordances; and designing interactive spaces.Based on the current research, these design strategies were suggested: combination and continuity of the middle area and private area; designing transparent and flexible walls in the vicinity of the middle area; designing diverse spaces in order to create opportunities for children to play with their peers, parents, as well as parents with each other; designing furniture next to the children's play area; designing spaces for all kinds of dramatic, symbolic, cooperative, group and physical games according to their age; designing some spaces for learning and direct environmental experience in the middle area; designing play spaces composed of lawn or winding corridors with plants and play equipment; and also designing tree houses, wooden swings and slides; designing ponds for children to play with water, sand and sawdust; designing pots for planting and maintaining plants; designing some spaces for keeping and raising birds, aquatic animals and pets. Accordingly, the primary achievement of this research is the articulation of design principles for the residential complex neighborhood for improving kids’ motivation to play, with an emphasis on enhancing the environment's play-inducing potential and, consequently, creating a more favorable setting for the emergence and continuity of kid's play activities.

Abstract Aims: Rapid urbanization has sharply reduced children's opportunities for free play, making urban parks one of the few remaining spaces for their physical, cognitive, and social growth. The 6–12 age group, known as middle childhood, needs challenging and group-oriented environments rather than simple play equipment. This study evaluates the effective components of child-friendly parks on children's attendance in Dadgostari and Marzdaran Parks in Tabriz, ranks the influencing components, assesses satisfaction levels, and examines age-related differences in satisfaction. Identifying these components is essential for urban planners and landscape designers seeking to allocate limited resources effectively and to transform existing parks into genuinely child-friendly environments that support children's developmental needs. The findings can guide urban managers in Tabriz and other Iranian cities toward evidence-based planning and prioritize interventions in parks with the greatest deficiencies.
Materials & Methods: This applied survey used a quantitative descriptive-analytical method with library studies and field surveys. The statistical population included children aged 6 to 12 present in the two parks during May–June 2026. Since no official statistics existed, the population was treated as accessible and estimated through field observation during peak hours. Using Cochran's formula and convenience sampling, 400 children, 200 per park, were selected after obtaining written parental consent and verbal child consent. Ethical considerations included confidentiality, voluntary participation, and the right to withdraw. Children aged 9 to 12 completed the questionnaire through direct self-reporting, while children aged 6 to 8 and preschoolers responded with parental help using a five-point facial scale, with the child's view taking priority. The researcher-made questionnaire contained 32 items across five factors: spatial access with 7 items, physical with 6, visual-aesthetic with 5, functional with 7, and safety-security-managerial with 7, all based on a five-point Likert scale. Content validity was confirmed through CVR and CVI by six experts, yielding values above 0.99 and 0.92 respectively. Reliability was confirmed with Cronbach's alpha of 0.89. Exploratory factor analysis with KMO of 0.84 and Bartlett's test at p < 0.001 extracted five factors explaining 60.81% of total variance, with all factor loadings above 0.40. The legibility component was redefined as legibility of path and wayfinding inside the park and loaded at 0.62 on the spatial access factor. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 through descriptive and inferential statistics including independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Tukey, and Friedman tests. Descriptive statistics covered means, standard deviations, and frequency distributions, while inferential statistics examined differences between parks and age subgroups.
Findings: Proximity of park to residence with 4.42, number of entrances with 4.15, and spatial dimensions with 4.05 had the highest means, while cafeteria and shop with 2.71, water paths and fountains with 2.75, and easy access to restrooms with 2.82 had the lowest. Dadgostari Park outperformed Marzdaran Park in most components. The most critical differences were in easy access to restrooms with 77.5% favorable responses in Dadgostari versus 2.5% in Marzdaran, water cooler and drinking fountain with 60.5% versus 4.5%, water paths and fountains with 89% versus 90% low responses, suitable space for sand play with 76% versus 2%, tall lighting tower with 68.5% versus 5.5%, and security control and surveillance with 61.5% versus 13.5%. Overall satisfaction in Dadgostari with 3.85 was significantly higher than Marzdaran with 3.10, with t of 10.56 and p < 0.001. One-way ANOVA showed a significant difference between children aged 6 to 8 with 3.75 and children aged 9 to 12 with 3.48, with F of 4.86 and p of 0.03. Of the 32 components, 19 showed significant differences at the 0.05 level, with 9 significant at 0.01 and 10 at 0.05.
Conclusion: Despite both parks being designed for children under 12, significant differences exist in component quality, satisfaction, and attendance. Spatial access and physical proportion were the most determining factors. Cafeteria, water features, and restroom access ranked lowest, revealing a pervasive weakness in welfare and health services. Dadgostari Park showed better conditions in restrooms, drinking fountains, lighting, fencing, and security surveillance. Marzdaran Park faces serious deficiencies in primary infrastructure that endanger children's safety. The findings align with prior studies in Amol regarding the importance of service access, while differing from studies in Bushehr and Isfahan that prioritized vitality and healthy environment, indicating that priorities vary by urban context. Recommendations include improving health and welfare infrastructure, enhancing safety and security, improving visual quality, and increasing play equipment diversity, along with children's direct participation in design and management through creative methods such as drawing, storytelling, and ideation workshops. These measures, if implemented systematically, can significantly enhance the quality of life for children in urban green spaces and contribute to the broader goal of creating child-friendly cities in Iran and beyond.

Abstract Aims:
Rapid urbanization, the expansion of built-up areas, and the increasing proportion of impervious surfaces have significantly altered natural hydrological processes in cities. These transformations reduce rainfall infiltration, increase the volume and velocity of surface runoff, and place increasing pressure on conventional urban drainage systems. Traditional stormwater-management approaches are primarily based on the rapid collection and conveyance of runoff through drainage networks. Although these systems can reduce temporary water accumulation, they do not necessarily contribute to restoring the natural urban water cycle and may transfer runoff pressure to downstream areas. In response to these limitations, the sponge city approach has emerged as an integrated framework for managing urban rainwater through infiltration, retention, detention, storage, controlled conveyance, and reuse. Blue–green infrastructure constitutes one of the main spatial components of this approach by integrating hydrological functions with green spaces, permeable surfaces, water corridors, and urban open spaces. However, the need for such interventions is not spatially uniform. Differences in topography, runoff concentration, surface imperviousness, soil characteristics, green cover, and land use create different levels of intervention priority. Therefore, this study aimed to identify and zone priority areas for blue–green infrastructure interventions for flood management based on the sponge city approach in the northeastern zone of Tabriz.
Materials and Methods:
This study was applied in purpose and descriptive–analytical in method. The study area covered the northeastern zone of Tabriz and included Khalilabad, TarlanDarasi, Idehloo, Ghooshkhaneh, MollaZeinal, and Ahmadabad neighborhoods. An integrated framework combining the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Geographic Information System (GIS) was employed to determine spatial intervention priorities. Six criteria were selected according to their influence on urban runoff processes and their relevance to sponge-city interventions: surface imperviousness, terrain slope, flow accumulation, hydrological soil group, green cover, and land use. The corresponding spatial layers were prepared and processed in GIS and standardized to establish a common analytical scale. Higher flow accumulation and surface imperviousness were associated with greater intervention priority, whereas lower green cover indicated a greater need for intervention. Terrain slope and hydrological soil groups were reclassified according to their effects on runoff movement and infiltration potential, while land-use classes were evaluated according to surface characteristics and runoff-generation potential. The relative importance of the criteria was determined through AHP pairwise comparisons. The Consistency Ratio (CR) was calculated to assess the internal consistency of the comparison matrix, and CR < 0.10 was considered acceptable. Finally, AHP-derived weights were assigned to the standardized layers and integrated through weighted spatial overlay in GIS to calculate the Blue–Green Infrastructure Priority Index (BGIP). The resulting index was classified into five intervention-priority levels: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high.
Findings:
The AHP analysis demonstrated that the six criteria did not contribute equally to the spatial priority of blue–green infrastructure interventions. Flow accumulation obtained the highest weight (0.286) and ranked first, indicating the major role of runoff concentration in determining intervention priority. Surface imperviousness ranked second with a weight of 0.238, reflecting the importance of surface sealing and reduced infiltration in runoff generation. Terrain slope ranked third with a weight of 0.167, emphasizing the role of topographic conditions in controlling runoff movement. The hydrological soil group received a weight of 0.135, while green cover and land use obtained weights of 0.103 and 0.071, respectively. The first three criteria collectively accounted for 69.1% of the total model weight, demonstrating the dominant influence of runoff concentration, surface imperviousness, and topography on the spatial pattern of intervention priority. The Consistency Ratio was 0.068 (CR = 0.068), which was below the acceptable threshold of 0.10, confirming acceptable consistency in the AHP pairwise comparison matrix. The final BGIP zoning revealed considerable spatial differentiation across the study area. Overall, 43.3% of the study area, equivalent to 606.6 ha, was classified within the high and very high intervention-priority classes. These results indicate that the need for blue–green infrastructure is concentrated in specific spatial zones rather than being uniformly distributed throughout the northeastern zone of Tabriz.
Conclusion:
The study demonstrates that implementation of the sponge-city approach in the northeastern zone of Tabriz requires a transition from conventional, drainage-oriented stormwater management toward spatially targeted, decentralized, and integrated blue–green infrastructure planning. The integration of AHP and GIS provided a spatial decision-support framework through which hydrological, topographic, physical, and environmental characteristics could be evaluated simultaneously. The main scientific contribution of the research is the conversion of the sponge-city concept from a general urban water-management approach into a spatial framework for determining intervention priorities. The resulting BGIP zoning can assist planners in identifying areas where blue–green measures should be considered first and can provide a basis for subsequent site-specific selection of interventions such as rain gardens, bioswales, permeable surfaces, green drainage corridors, and temporary retention spaces. Nevertheless, the model determines spatial intervention priority rather than the exact type, size, or technical design of individual measures. Its results are also influenced by the accuracy of spatial data and expert-based AHP weighting. Future studies can therefore combine this framework with detailed hydrological simulations and site-scale analyses. Overall, the findings confirm that targeted blue–green infrastructure based on spatial priorities can provide an effective basis for integrated rainwater management and the implementation of sponge-city principles in the northeastern zone of Tabriz.

Abstract With the intensification of urbanization and the proliferation of high-density residential complexes, the psychological implications of living environments have become a fundamental focus in architectural and environmental psychology research. As a multidimensional construct, place attachment plays a critical role in fostering human-environment interaction, enhancing quality of life, and promoting residential sustainability. Conversely, psychological capital—representing positive internal resources—serves as a key indicator of mental health and an individual’s capacity to cope with life’s challenges. Despite the significance of these constructs, empirical investigation into the relationship between place attachment and psychological capital within residential complexes, particularly in the field of architecture, remains limited, presenting a notable research gap. The current study aims to investigate the predictive role of place attachment in determining the psychological capital of residents in residential complexes. Utilizing a quantitative, descriptive-analytical approach, this study surveyed 120 residents of two residential complexes in Tehran. Data obtained from standard and researcher-made questionnaires were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) via SPSS and Smart-PLS3 software. The results indicated an excellent model fit (GOF = 0.73). Regression analysis confirmed that place attachment accounts for 73.1% of the variance in psychological capital. Contrary to common assumptions, the physical dimension emerged as the strongest predictor of positive psychological resources (β = 0.641), while the social dimension ranked second (β = 0.166). Furthermore, the identity and perceptual dimensions did not demonstrate a statistically significant relationship with the optimism component (p > 0.05). These findings underscore the pivotal importance of physical and spatial qualities in fostering residents’ resilience and hope. The results highlight the necessity of re-evaluating residential design with an emphasis on sensory-evoking physical components to promote urban mental health.

Abstract The modernization of the first Pahlavi dynasty led to changes throughout Iran. With the coming to power of Reza Shah and his efforts to concentrate and spread the power of the central government throughout the country, Lorestan came into focus. He decided to confront it without considering the social, economic, cultural and military foundations governing the society of Lorestan and especially the nomads. The political and social system governing Lorestan before the arrival of the forces of the first Pahlavi dynasty in the region was a feudal system based on tribal and tribal classification. Since new forms of structure and residential spaces emerge in line with social changes, the following qualitative research, using a descriptive-analytical method, examines the reflection of the establishment of the first Pahlavi dynasty and the authoritarian modernization resulting from Reza Shah's policies on the architecture of houses in the city of Khorramabad by examining 12 houses of the first Pahlavi dynasty. The results show that the authoritarian modernization resulting from Reza Shah's policies, despite some development, health, and educational measures, led to the deprivation of the right to choose, the impairment of family and social security, and as a result, many women of the Lor tribe, who previously had relative freedoms, were confined to their homes and distanced from the social space. Despite the fact that the gift of modernity encouraged and imposed society towards extroversion and its supposed freedoms, the process of developments and transformation of Khorramabad houses led from the semi-extroverted of the Qajar period to introverted in the first Pahlavi period. The houses built during this period or the changes made to Qajar houses were driven towards introversion, which can be considered a kind of reaction of the residents of the houses to tyranny and the new developments created in society and the city.

Abstract The present study aims to investigate the role of transitional space as an intermediary between the entrance of a residential complex and the first residential floor and to examine its contribution to improving the functional performance and efficiency of residential complexes. Furthermore, the study seeks to identify the most effective transitional-space configuration by considering different residential block arrangements. Accordingly, the research addresses the following questions: (1) How can transitional space, as a key component of the physical–spatial structure of residential complexes, improve their functional performance? and (2) Which transitional-space configuration, considering the spatial arrangement of residential blocks, provides the highest level of functional efficiency?
This applied study adopted a mixed-methods (qualitative–quantitative) approach using a descriptive–analytical research design. Transitional space was considered the independent variable, while the functional performance of residential complexes was treated as the dependent variable. Indicators of functional performance were identified through a review of the literature and evaluated using the Space Syntax approach. Spatial configuration was analyzed through pilot-floor graph analysis, Visibility Graph Analysis (VGA), axial analysis, connectivity, mean depth, and isovist measures using Depthmap software. The research focused on medium-scale cooperative housing complexes constructed between 1999 and 2021 in District 2 of Arak, Iran. From 81 residential complexes, 16 met the selection criteria (minimum four stories, at least two residential blocks, diverse shared-space organization, and occupancy status) and were classified according to block arrangement. Two representative case studies were then selected: Jahad Nasr, characterized by a regular block layout, and Andisheh, featuring a mixed block configuration.
The findings demonstrate that transitional space plays a significant role in enhancing the functional performance of residential complexes by improving spatial connectivity, accessibility, visual perception, permeability, spatial legibility, and movement continuity. Space Syntax analyses revealed that residential complexes with well-integrated transitional spaces exhibit more efficient spatial structures, resulting in better circulation patterns and greater opportunities for social interaction among residents. The Visibility Graph Analysis (VGA), axial analysis, connectivity, mean depth, and isovist evaluations consistently indicated that the configuration of transitional spaces directly influences users' ability to navigate and utilize shared spaces effectively. Comparative analysis of the two case studies further showed that the Jahad Nasr residential complex outperformed the Andisheh complex across most spatial performance indicators. This superior performance can be attributed to its more coherent block arrangement and the formation of a well-defined transitional space, which provides stronger spatial integration, higher visual accessibility, and improved continuity between outdoor and semi-public areas. In contrast, the mixed block configuration of Andisheh resulted in weaker spatial integration and reduced functional efficiency.
These results highlight the importance of considering transitional spaces as fundamental design elements rather than residual circulation areas. The study further suggests that the arrangement of residential blocks directly influences the quality and performance of transitional spaces. Integrating Space Syntax analysis into the early stages of residential design can therefore support evidence-based planning decisions and contribute to the creation of more efficient, accessible, and user-centered housing environments.

Abstract Aims:
The primary research problem of this study is to determine how and to what extent the physical characteristics of primary schools influence students' social interactions, and whether these relationships can be explained across schools located in different socio-economic contexts of Tabriz. From this perspective, the study draws on the perceptions of teachers from 12 selected public primary schools situated in high-, middle-, and low-income urban areas of Tabriz to develop a structural model explaining the relationships between the physical characteristics of school environments and students' social interactions. The findings are expected to contribute to the theoretical advancement of educational architecture while providing practical guidance for planners, architects, and educational administrators in improving the quality of school environments and fostering students' social interactions.
Materials & Methods:
This applied study employed a quantitative, descriptive–analytical survey design using a correlational approach based on Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The study aimed to develop a structural model explaining the influence of the physical characteristics of primary schools on students' social interactions from teachers' perspectives. The conceptual framework was developed based on the literature and tested using covariance-based SEM in AMOS 26. The statistical population consisted of all teachers (N = 286) from 12 selected public primary schools located in high-, middle-, and low-socioeconomic neighborhoods Tabriz. Because of the manageable population size, a census sampling method was adopted. After excluding incomplete questionnaires, 274 valid responses (95.8% response rate) were analyzed. Data were collected using researcher-developed questionnaire comprising 46 items.
Findings:
The structural model demonstrated that the physical characteristics of primary schools have a positive, direct, and statistically significant effect on students' social interactions, thereby supporting the main research hypothesis. The coefficient of determination indicated that a substantial proportion of the variance in students' social interactions could be explained by the physical characteristics of the school environment. Among the physical dimensions, environmental safety and comfort emerged as the strongest predictor, highlighting the importance of physical security, thermal and acoustic comfort, building maintenance, and overall environmental quality fostering positive social behaviors. Educational space quality and spatial organization and legibility ranked as the second and third most influential dimensions, emphasizing the role of well-designed classrooms, natural lighting, ventilation, flexible layouts, and clear spatial organization promoting interaction among students. Regarding the dimensions of social interaction, social communication and sense of belonging exhibited the highest factor loadings, suggesting that improvements the physical learning environment primarily enhance opportunities for communication, friendship, mutual respect, and attachment to school.
Conclusion:
The primary contribution of this study lies in developing an integrated structural model that systematically explains the relationship between the physical characteristics of primary schools and students' social interactions. Unlike previous studies, which have typically examined physical or social dimensions independently, this research demonstrates their interrelationships using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Furthermore, identifying environmental safety and comfort, educational space quality, and social communication as the most influential factors provides valuable evidence for revising school design standards and developing evidence-based guidelines aimed at creating educational environments that better support students' social development and well-being.

Abstract Aims
This study develops a systematic framework to identify, classify, and analyze the key determinants of natural ventilation in double-skin façade (DSF) systems using a scoping review based on the Arksey and O'Malley framework. It focuses on three dimensions: environmental-climatic indicators, geometric-physical parameters, and simulation-based assessment methodologies. The goal is to map existing knowledge, reduce literature fragmentation, and establish a foundation for climate-responsive DSF design to enhance thermal comfort and reduce mechanical ventilation reliance.
Materials & Methods
Using the five-stage Arksey and O'Malley framework, a systematic search was conducted across Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Magiran databases for the years 2018–2025 using the keywords "Double-skin façade" and "Natural ventilation". Out of 1,024 initial sources, 39 original, full-text English or Persian articles were selected based on specific inclusion criteria. Data extraction utilized charting and directed content analysis, with validity maintained through concurrent screening by two independent researchers.
Findings
The analysis of the 39 studies reveals that DSF natural ventilation performance depends on the interaction of three categories:
• Environmental parameters: Air temperature, wind speed/direction, solar radiation, and relative humidity, alongside shading systems and opening configurations.
• Geometric characteristics: Cavity depth (depths of 0.2 to 1.0 m enhance the stack effect, while excessive depths reduce efficiency), opening size/location, glazing type, shading configuration, and façade typology.
• Evaluation methods: CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Fluent, SolidWorks Flow) for airflow/thermal analysis; Building Energy Simulation (BES) software (e.g., EnergyPlus, DesignBuilder, TRNSYS) for energy/comfort; and parametric platforms (Grasshopper with Ladybug/Honeybee) for early-stage optimization.
Conclusion
The scoping review of 39 articles (2018–2025) indicates that DSF performance is driven by the interaction of environmental and geometric factors, requiring an integrated, performance-based design approach. A key gap exists between simulation predictions and actual performance due to limited experimental data, methodological inconsistencies, and lack of standardized criteria. Future research should integrate field measurements with simulations, develop experimental databases and guidelines, and employ AI/machine learning for multi-variable optimization

Abstract Flexibility in housing design, as a key component in responding to the changing needs of residents, has received increasing attention from researchers and designers in recent decades. However, assessing this concept remains challenging due to the diversity of definitions, the dispersion of evaluation indicators, the time-consuming nature of assessment processes, and reliance on human analysis. The absence of a coherent framework for measuring housing flexibility, along with the inability of existing assessment methods to comprehensively address its multidimensional nature, highlights the need for further investigation. This article aims to identify the approaches, methods, indicators, and tools used for assessing flexibility in order to provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge in this field. Accordingly, the main research question focuses on identifying the definitions and fundamental concepts of flexibility, the indicators and tools employed for its assessment, and the emerging capabilities of artificial intelligence in this domain.

This study adopts a qualitative approach and employs a narrative-analytical literature review method based on searches conducted in the Scopus, Web of Science, and SID databases. Using the keywords “housing flexibility,” “building adaptability,” and “flexibility assessment” for the period from 2000 to 2025, 157 initial sources were identified. After applying three selection criteria—direct relevance to flexibility in housing design, the presence of a specific evaluation method, and publication in reputable scientific journals—36 sources were selected for final analysis.

The findings indicate that housing flexibility assessment methods can be classified into three main categories: quantitative approaches, qualitative approaches, and hybrid approaches. Furthermore, the examination of emerging technological capabilities demonstrates that computer vision can facilitate the automatic recognition of spatial patterns and housing plan configurations, large language models can support qualitative data analysis and the interpretation of residents’ feedback, and parametric analysis can enable the simulation of multiple scenarios of physical transformation. Collectively, these technologies are proposed as complementary tools to enhance traditional approaches to assessing housing flexibility.

Abstract شکل‌دهی به محیط ساخته‌شده در شهرهای معاصر، کاری دشوار، میان‌رشته‌ای و پیچیده است که طراحان را ملزم به حل مسائل موجود و در حال پیدایش می‌کند. طراحان با تخصص‌های گوناگون، از جمله معماران، مسئولیت شکل کنونی و آینده شهرها را بر عهده دارند و موظف‌اند ابزارهایی را جستجو کنند که بتوانند بحران‌های شهری کنونی و بالقوه را حل کنند. این نوشتار، از منظر یک معمار حرفه‌ای، فرصتی برای ارائه راه‌حل‌هایی برای دست‌کم برخی از این مسائل از طریق به‌کارگیری اصول فناوری مدرن ساختمان می‌بیند. مقاله حاضر به تعریف مسائل شهری معاصر پرداخته و بررسی می‌کند که چگونه می‌توان با استفاده از فناوری‌های پیش‌ساخته، این مسائل را مرتفع ساخت نقطه آغازین این تأملات، بحران شهر است. در حالی که هم‌اکنون اکثریت جمعیت جهان در شهرها زندگی می‌کنند، پژوهش‌ها و پیش‌بینی‌های گوناگون حاکی از آن است که سهم شهرنشینان در سال‌های آینده نیز افزایش خواهد یافت. انبوه ساکنان-کاربران و نیازهای متنوع آن‌ها، شهر را به صحنه‌ای تبدیل کرده که در آن، هم مسائل «ابدی» (همچون مسکن) و هم مسائل همواره نوظهور (مانند گسترش بی‌رویه شهری، سلطه خودرو، تغییرات اقلیمی و همه‌گیری‌ها) همراه با تعارضات و چالش‌های مرتبط با آن‌ها پدیدار می‌شوند. ظهور چالش‌ها، سازگاری با آن‌ها و کاهش اثرات نامطلوبشان را می‌توان به‌عنوان بحرانی پایدار توصیف کرد

Abstract Aims:
The built environment of rehabilitation centers plays a critical yet underexplored role in supporting patient recovery. While evidence-based design (EBD) has gained traction in healthcare architecture as a framework for translating empirical research into design decisions, its systematic application within healing garden contexts remains insufficiently theorized. Existing literature addresses EBD components and healing garden principles largely in isolation, leaving a notable gap in their integrated conceptualization for rehabilitation settings. This study therefore aims to: (1) identify the design components influencing rehabilitation center quality within both EBD and healing garden frameworks; (2) categorize and prioritize these components according to their frequency and emphasis in the existing literature; and (3) construct a three-tiered conceptual framework that synthesizes findings from both traditions and delineates directions for future empirical inquiry.
Methodology:
This study adopts an applied research design employing systematic literature review and qualitative content analysis as its primary methodological strategies. A total of 114 sources were retrieved from peer-reviewed databases including IranDoc, SID, Civilica, and Google Scholar: 41 sources pertaining to evidence-based design (13 domestic, 2007–2024; 28 international, 1389–1402 SH) and 73 sources pertaining to healing gardens (33 domestic; 40 international). Search terms included rehabilitation centers, healthcare facilities, evidence-based design, and healing garden. Retrieved sources were subjected to open coding, followed by iterative merging of overlapping codes and thematic classification into five conceptual categories: (i) sensory-perceptual, (ii) functional-behavioral, (iii) physical-spatial, (iv) control-oriented and psychological, and (v) therapeutic-operational components. In parallel, six internationally recognized rehabilitation centers — Søkso, Groot Klimmendaal, Ezra LeMarp, Spaulding, Başakşehir, and the Basel Spinal and Brain Injury Center — were purposively selected from the literature as illustrative documentary cases. Selection criteria were based on the degree to which each facility reflected the identified design components and its documented presence in peer-reviewed EBD and healing garden scholarship. A comparative descriptive analysis was subsequently applied to examine the distribution of components across these cases. It must be noted that this study does not include user interviews, behavioral observation, post-occupancy evaluation (POE), clinical outcome data, control groups, or statistical effect analysis; accordingly, component frequency should not be interpreted as evidence of causal efficacy.
Conclusion:
Findings reveal that 18 design components can be organized across the five conceptual categories identified above. Components present in 100% of the documentary cases — including tree and vegetation diversity, human–nature connection, natural light, and adequate views — represent the most consistently documented priorities in the literature. Components such as furniture, spatial flexibility, natural materials, and social support appeared in approximately two-thirds of cases, while elements such as horticultural therapy, positive distraction, and appropriate nursing station placement were absent from or minimally represented in the reviewed cases, indicating significant research gaps. At the macro-theoretical level, this study proposes a conceptual framework at the intersection of EBD and healing garden principles, structured around the five thematic categories, which provides a coherent organizational scaffold for future research. At the meso-policy level, the five categories offer a preliminary basis for developing design guidelines, checklists, and institutional standards for rehabilitation facility planning, contingent upon empirical validation. At the micro-practical level, the identified components serve as preliminary design guidance — not as proven prescriptions — for architects and planners, with recommendations framed in non-causal terms such as “it is suggested,” “may facilitate,” and “provides a preliminary basis for.” Future research should prioritize post-occupancy evaluations, clinical outcome studies, and user-centered methodologies to empirically validate the framework proposed here.

Abstract The growth of the older adult population has made attention to the environmental quality of nursing homes an important concern in interior architecture. Despite the provision of basic facilities and safety requirements, many nursing homes have not yet become legible, calming, empowering environments that support older adults’ agency. Accordingly, this study aimed to explain the interior architectural components of nursing homes based on environmental affordances and the environmental press–competence model. It addressed the question of which architectural components can provide genuine opportunities for movement, choice, interaction, control, and the preservation of older adults’ dignity. The novelty of the study lies in proposing an affordance-based framework that links spatial characteristics, individual competence, and older adults’ agency. The research employed a multiple-case study strategy and a qualitative-priority mixed-methods approach across six nursing homes in Tehran. In the qualitative phase, data were collected through observations and semi-structured interviews with six older adults and analyzed using the constant comparative method. In the quantitative phase, 235 questionnaires were completed by staff members and the children or primary companions of older residents. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha, exploratory factor analysis, comparative tests, correlation analysis, and multiple regression. The findings identified six components: perceptual–cognitive, motor–physical, interactive–social, autonomy and control, identity–meaning, and sensory–calming affordances. The overall level of environmental affordances was moderate, while autonomy and control received the lowest evaluation. The results indicate that the quality of nursing homes cannot be achieved solely through safety measures and physical facilities; rather, it requires an affordance-based, agency-oriented, and dignity-centered approach.

Abstract Aims: In the post-industrial era, housing personalization (i.e. the capacity to adapt living environments to residents’ needs, expectations, and changing life circumstances) has become a fundamental dimension of sustainable housing. Beyond functional adaptation, personalisation enables occupants to express identity, social status, and individual preferences through their homes. Despite the widespread adoption of prefabricated construction, prefabrication is still commonly perceived as limiting diversity and reducing residents’ freedom to modify their dwellings. Rather than assuming fixed patterns of living, housing should be designed to evolve with its occupants. This study investigates the relationship between the scale of prefabrication and the capacity for housing personalisation, proposing an analytical framework that explains how different prefabricated design strategies influence long-term adaptability.
Materials & Methods: This research adopts a qualitative, descriptive–analytical approach. Data were collected through a targeted review of recent scholarly literature and analysed using comparative content analysis. Three analytical indices were derived from the literature: the diversity of personalisation methods, the variability of building components, and the degree of user agency. These indices were then applied to evaluate four housing design strategies—half of a house, support–infill, kit of parts, and completed unit—through a combined deductive–inductive framework. The proposed analytical model was subsequently assessed through a case study of the tunnel construction system used in Iran’s Mehr Housing projects.
Findings: The findings demonstrate that the scale of prefabrication is not merely a technical characteristic but a strategic design variable that directly shapes the potential for housing personalisation. Decisions made during the design stage determine the range of modifications available to residents throughout the building’s operational life. Where long-term adaptability is a primary objective, open-building and incremental completion approaches offer substantially greater capacity for future spatial transformation than fully integrated housing systems. However, realising this potential requires supportive design guidelines, effective regulation of post-occupancy modifications, and coordinated policies involving designers, developers, contractors, and public authorities.
Conclusion: The study identifies a systematic and predominantly inverse relationship between the scale of prefabrication and the capacity for personalisation. As the level of system integration increases, opportunities for user agency and spatial adaptation decline. Conversely, strategies that separate permanent structural elements from changeable components provide the greatest potential for incremental growth, spatial reconfiguration, and adaptation to residents’ evolving needs. Among the approaches examined, the support–infill and half of a house models enable the widest range of personalisation strategies, whereas the kit of parts approach limits variation through a restricted set of predefined configurations, and the completed unit model confines personalisation largely to interior fittings and minor spatial modifications. The Mehr Housing case study further confirms that highly integrated prefabricated systems, while advantageous in construction speed and quality control, significantly constrain long-term adaptability. The principal contribution of this research is the development of a conceptual framework that integrates prefabrication scale, building system typology, user agency, personalisation capacity, and residential sustainability. This framework offers a practical basis for architects, developers, and policymakers seeking to align prefabricated housing systems with sustainability objectives and the changing needs of residents.

Abstract Aims:
The Persian garden is a spatial system in which movement, sequence, orientation, thresholds, and pauses are organized through built form, landscape, and circulation. Previous studies have examined spatial organization, visual perception, and phenomenological dimensions, but turning and pausing have received limited attention.The study aims to identify relationships among movement, turning, field-of-view changes, and potential pauses in Persian gardens and formulate a phenomenological framework for their sequential organization. It focuses on changes in direction, field of view, thresholds, intermediate spaces, and identifiable spatial elements. Rather than claiming direct knowledge of users’ lived experiences, phenomenological implications are interpreted through spatial configurations traceable in documentary sources. {42}
Materials & Methods:
The research adopts a qualitative, descriptive–analytical approach with an interpretive–hermeneutic phenomenological framework. Its basis consists of documentary materials; field observation, behavioral recording, and interviews were not conducted. Analysis draws on architectural plans, spatial diagrams, photographs, documentary materials, and scholarly literature concerning Fin Garden, Shazdeh Garden, Dowlatabad Garden, and Narenjestan-e Qavam.
Cases were purposively selected for variation in movement organization, hierarchy, level changes, thresholds, visual axes, and transitions. The unit of analysis was a “spatial situation within a movement sequence,” examining movement, turning, field-of-view change, potential pause, spatial element, and perceptual implication. {43}Analysis proceeded by identifying movement axes, directional changes, thresholds, intermediate spaces, visual openings, and potential pause points; examining movement and path organization, turning, spatial pause, and gradual spatial revelation; and conducting cross-case comparison. Recurring patterns were then translated into analytical and context-dependent implications for contemporary pedestrian routes. Findings are interpreted as spatial potential rather than claims about users’ perceptions or lived experiences.
Findings:
The analysis revealed a recurring sequence linking movement, turning, field-of-view change, potential pause, and renewed spatial revelation. Despite differences, movement and spatial reorientation emerged as common organizational characteristics.In Fin Garden, axes, water channels, pools, vegetation, and intersections structure movement; directional changes alter orientation and the visual field, while pools and shaded areas provide potential pause points.In Shazdeh Garden, longitudinal and stepped organization and gradual level changes structure movement; terraces and platforms alter position and visual orientation and provide potential pause locations.In Dowlatabad Garden, ordered axes, thresholds, open and semi-open spaces, and central architectural components organize movement and establish differentiated spatial conditions.In Narenjestan-e Qavam, the entrance sequence, courtyard, veranda, and interior spaces form a spatial hierarchy; transitions generate directional changes, while verandas provide potential pauses.
Across the cases, recurring patterns were synthesized as path continuity and hierarchy, turning and directional change, change in the field of view, potential pause, gradual spatial revelation, and relationships with identifiable spatial elements. These formed the analytical sequence “movement–turning–change in the field of view–pause–renewed revelation.” {44}The sequence is interpretive, not a causal model of users’ experiences.
Conclusion:
Turning and pausing can be analytically understood as interconnected components of the spatial sequence of Persian gardens rather than isolated physical events. Turning is associated with changes in direction, orientation, and the field of view, while potential pauses are associated with nodes, thresholds, intermediate spaces, and movement-regulating elements.The contribution is a spatially traceable phenomenological framework for interpreting movement and spatial reorientation without direct evidence of lived experience. Subject to contemporary functional, social, environmental, safety, accessibility, and mobility conditions, relationships among directional changes, framed views, intermediate spaces, potential pause points, and gradual spatial revelation may inform contemporary pedestrian pathways. These are context-dependent propositions, not empirically validated behavioral outcomes or direct reproductions of Persian gardens.Future research should test the sequence through field observation, behavioral mapping, interviews, and other user-based methods to determine whether identified relationships correspond to movement, attention, perception, and experience. {45}

Abstract Despite numerous studies on the quality of university spaces, most research has focused on open spaces, functional indicators, or general environmental assessments; few studies have systematically elicited the spatial preferences of architecture students or prioritized design components based on their visual perception. This gap has left designers without sufficient empirical evidence when making decisions regarding the physical and spatial characteristics of architecture schools. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of identifying the components of spatial preferences among architecture students, ranking these components, and proposing a framework for the design of educational spaces. The study is an applied study that employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. In the quantitative phase, based on a literature review, a set of selected images—covering areas such as volumetric and interior design, lobbies, galleries, classrooms, workshops, libraries, furniture, open and semi-open spaces, natural elements, multifunctional areas, group work zones, and educational event spaces—was compiled and presented to 100 undergraduate architecture students at Imam Khomeini International University. The students ranked the images according to their preferences; the resulting data were analyzed and categorized using the Friedman test in SPSS software and the t-test and Levene’s test were employed to examine the significance of differences between male and female students. Kendall's test was also used to analyze the level of agreement among respondents. The results indicated a significant difference in the prioritization of images across the examined dimensions (P<0.05), but no significant difference was observed between the groups of male and female students. The Kendall test indicated a significant level of agreement (P<0.05) regarding the collaborative workspace, exterior form design, furniture, and interior space; the highest level of agreement was observed for the exterior form, while the lowest level pertained to identity and natural elements within the space. In the qualitative phase, the reasons behind the students' image selections were analyzed through qualitative content analysis revealing that their preferences were primarily driven by factors such as form, spatial organization, natural light, visual appeal, and the quality of furnishings. Furthermore, content analysis of the responses revealed that students' preferences could be classified into four dimensions: physical, functional, social, and meaning with the physical dimension accounting for the largest share.

Abstract Given the growing importance of urban governance and citizen participation in enhancing the quality of urban environments, this study investigates the role of urban governance in improving urban design quality, with particular emphasis on the mediating role of citizen participation in the city of Qom, Iran. The research is applied in terms of purpose and adopts a descriptive-correlational design using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The statistical population comprised residents of Qom, from whom 384 respondents were selected through Cochran’s formula using a simple random sampling method. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software. The validity of the instrument was confirmed through face, content, and construct validity, while its reliability was established using Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability. The findings revealed that urban governance has a positive and significant effect on citizen participation (standardized coefficient = 0.62) and on urban design quality (standardized coefficient = 0.58). Furthermore, citizen participation positively influences urban design quality (standardized coefficient = 0.47) and serves as a significant partial mediator in the relationship between urban governance and urban design quality, with an indirect effect of 0.29. In addition, urban governance explained 38% of the variance in citizen participation, while urban governance together with citizen participation accounted for 64% of the variance in urban design quality. The results suggest that achieving high-quality urban design in Qom requires the establishment of transparent, accountable, coordinated, and equity-oriented urban governance, accompanied by meaningful citizen participation throughout the processes of urban planning, decision-making, and project implementation.

Abstract Introduction
The expansion of large-scale residential complexes in Iranian cities has increased the need to understand how architectural design contributes to residents’ place attachment, particularly through women’s lived experiences. Place attachment reflects the relationship that residents develop with their living environment through everyday experiences, perceptions, and social interactions. Although previous studies have examined individual physical, functional, psychological, or social aspects of residential environments, their integration within an architecture-oriented framework for explaining women’s place attachment remains limited. This study addresses this gap by examining the relationship between architectural design dimensions and women’s place attachment in the Ekbatan and Omid residential complexes in Tehran.
Methodology
An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. In the qualitative phase, 43 semi-structured interviews with women residents, including 22 participants from Ekbatan and 21 from Omid, were conducted until theoretical saturation and analyzed using grounded theory and MAXQDA. The analysis resulted in 42 components organized into four architectural design dimensions: physical and functional dimensions within and outside the residential unit, and two emergent qualities of the designed environment: perceptual–psychological and social qualities. In the quantitative phase, data were collected from 730 women through random sampling using a structured questionnaire and analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4. The measurement model was assessed for reliability and validity, while independent-samples t-tests were used to compare the two residential complexes.
Results and Discussion
The findings indicate that the four architectural design dimensions are significantly related to the perceptual–psychological and social qualities of the residential environment, although the strength and significance of these relationships differ between Ekbatan and Omid. The perceptual–psychological and social qualities also show significant positive relationships with women’s place attachment in both complexes. These findings suggest that physical and functional characteristics of residential environments provide the conditions through which perceptual–psychological experiences and social relationships emerge, contributing to the formation of place attachment.
Conclusion
Women’s place attachment is associated with an integrated system in which architectural design qualities, together with the perceptual–psychological and social qualities emerging from residents’ experience of the environment, contribute to attachment to residential places. The proposed architecture-oriented framework clarifies the relationship between design characteristics, environmental experience, and women’s place attachment and provides a basis for the design, evaluation, and improvement of residential environments.

Abstract The high energy consumption of office buildings, particularly in hot and dry climates, has increased the necessity of employing passive strategies to control environmental conditions and reduce cooling loads. One of the most effective solutions in this regard is the use of external shading devices, such as louvers, to control solar radiation and improve building energy performance. The present study aimed to determine the optimal angle of external louvers and evaluate their effect on the energy consumption of an office building in the hot and dry climate of Kerman. For this purpose, an office building was simulated as a base-case model in DesignBuilder software, and its energy performance was examined with horizontal and vertical louvers installed on the south and west façades. Various louver angles—0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, and 60°—were analyzed across 21 independent simulation scenarios. The evaluation indicators included incident solar radiation, cooling load, heating load, lighting energy consumption, and total building energy consumption. The results showed that increasing the louver angle reduces incident solar radiation and cooling load; however, at larger angles, lighting energy consumption increases due to reduced daylight availability. Horizontal louvers were also found to be more effective than vertical louvers in reducing overall energy consumption. Based on the results, a horizontal louver with a 30° angle on the south façade and a horizontal louver with a 40° angle on the west façade were introduced as the optimal options in terms of total energy consumption. The findings of this study can be applied to the envelope design of office buildings in hot and dry climates and to the development of sustainable architectural strategies.

Abstract The building sector accounts for a significant share of global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, making the improvement of building envelope thermal performance an important strategy for reducing building energy demand. In this context, nanostructured aerogels, particularly silica aerogels, offer the potential to achieve high thermal resistance within limited thicknesses due to their nanoporous structure, low density, and low thermal conductivity. However, the effectiveness of these materials is not uniform across different climatic conditions, building components, and economic scenarios. Therefore, the present study aims to systematically and critically analyze research on the application of nanostructured aerogels in buildings and to identify the conditions under which the use of this technology provides the greatest performance benefits.
A systematic review was conducted based on the PRISMA framework through a structured search of scientific literature in the international databases Scopus and ScienceDirect. Studies were screened according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Relevant information, including aerogel type, product characteristics, building component, climatic conditions, thermal and energy performance indicators, technical limitations, and economic considerations, was extracted and comparatively analyzed. The analysis focused on identifying the relationship between aerogel performance and contextual factors rather than assuming uniform performance across different applications.
The findings indicate that the principal advantage of aerogels compared with many conventional insulation materials is their ability to provide high thermal resistance at substantially lower thicknesses. However, the magnitude of energy savings is strongly dependent on the type of aerogel product, building component, climate, and operational conditions. In cold climates, the reduction of heat loss represents a particularly important benefit, whereas in hot climates, the simultaneous control of heat transfer and solar radiation becomes more critical, particularly in transparent building systems. The review also identifies high initial costs, the brittleness of some aerogel products, and the energy-intensive nature of certain production processes as major barriers to wider adoption. At the same time, low-cost production methods, reinforced aerogel composites, and bio-based aerogels represent important directions for future technological development.
Based on the synthesis of the selected studies, this research proposes a context-based decision-making framework for selecting appropriate aerogel applications according to climate, building component, thickness limitations, required performance, and life-cycle cost considerations. The proposed framework emphasizes that aerogels should not be regarded as universally superior insulation solutions. Rather, their effectiveness depends on the compatibility between the characteristics of the selected product and the specific conditions and requirements of the building project. The findings provide a basis for more context-sensitive decisions regarding the application of nanostructured aerogels in high-performance building envelopes.

Abstract Pedestrian presence is considered one of the most important indicators of the quality of public spaces and the vitality of urban corridors and is influenced by a set of physical, functional, perceptual, and behavioral factors. From the perspective of spatial architecture, the quality and organization of public space can play a role in how citizens experience and use the environment and the formation of collective life in it. Despite the expansion of studies in this field, the findings of previous research are scattered and a comprehensive framework for classifying factors affecting pedestrian presence has not been presented. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of identifying, classifying, and conceptually organizing factors affecting pedestrian presence in urban corridors. This study is applied in terms of purpose and qualitative in nature and was conducted with a systematic review approach based on the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. After a systematic search of studies in Scopus and Google Scholar, 1760 scientific records were identified, and after screening, 27 eligible articles were finally included in the qualitative content analysis. The extracted data were analyzed using MAXQDA 2024 software through an open and axial coding process and organized into conceptual components and subcomponents. The research findings showed that the factors affecting pedestrian presence can be classified into five main components, including physical-spatial characteristics, environmental quality and space performance, pedestrian perception and experience, pedestrian presence and activity, and urban outcomes. The findings also indicate that physical-spatial characteristics, especially urban form and road network, play the greatest role in shaping pedestrian presence, and other components, in interaction with this physical context, provide the basis for realizing outcomes such as urban vitality and social interactions. The main achievement of this research is to provide a conceptual framework and systematic classification of factors affecting pedestrian presence, which can be used as a basis for future research and as a guide for planning and designing human-centered urban corridors.

Abstract The advent of the Metaverse as the next-generation internet paradigm has fundamentally reshaped digital interactions and virtual ecosystems, redefining the architect's role beyond physical design toward orchestrating complex interactive experiences and managing digital value networks. Nevertheless, a critical misalignment persists between conventional architectural curricula and the evolving competencies demanded by emerging technology sectors. This study aims to develop and preliminarily validate a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and locally-adapted educational framework specifically designed for educating Metaverse Architects, while articulating their strategic function within digital innovation ecosystems. Adopting a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design, this research proceeded through three distinct phases. Phase I entailed a systematic literature review across Scopus and Web of Science (2019–2024) using rigorous inclusion/exclusion criteria. Phase II involved a comparative analysis of curricula from five leading global universities in digital architecture, interactive design, and emergent technologies. Phase III leveraged expert input from five distinguished industry and academic specialists to construct and preliminarily validate a three-tiered pedagogical model. Findings demonstrate that educating a Metaverse Architect requires an integrated, multidimensional framework encompassing three foundational pillars: (1) theoretical and practical grounding in digital spatial design and the phenomenology of virtual environments; (2) advanced technical mastery of Extended Reality (XR) tools, game engines, and decentralized technologies; and (3) comprehensive insight into digital innovation mechanics, tokenomics, and the ethical-legal dimensions of digital property rights. The proposed framework prioritizes competency-based, interdisciplinary, and project-oriented learning, positioning the Metaverse Architect as a strategic leader and ecosystem architect rather than a conventional designer. Preliminary outcomes suggest that embedding this roadmap within postgraduate architectural pedagogy can help narrow the academia-industry skills gap, cultivating skilled talent equipped to drive sustainable innovation and governance in emerging virtual spaces.

Abstract Introduction: Urban large-scale construction projects, while playing a prominent role in the economic and physical development of cities, generate extensive and complex environmental impacts that require intelligent decision-making tools for effective management. The construction industry alone accounts for approximately 40-50% of global carbon emissions, 20-50% of natural resource consumption, and 50% of total solid waste worldwide. With the acceleration of urbanization and rapid population growth, these projects have become one of the most significant sources of pressure on the environment. Traditional environmental impact assessment (EIA) approaches, particularly in developing countries, often lack systematic mechanisms for risk identification, impact mitigation strategy evaluation, and real-time decision support. In recent years, advances in artificial intelligence and knowledge-based systems have opened new horizons for improving environmental decision-making in construction projects. However, a significant gap remains in the development of comprehensive, knowledge-driven decision support frameworks specifically designed for environmental impact assessment of urban large-scale construction projects.
Methodology: This research employed a mixed-methods approach with a sequential exploratory design, combining qualitative and quantitative techniques. The qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with 30 experts from the Environmental Protection Organization, academic institutions, and the construction engineering sector. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling methods, with interviews continuing until theoretical saturation was achieved. Interview data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding procedures following the grounded theory approach proposed by Strauss and Corbin (1990). To ensure trustworthiness, the study employed multiple strategies including data triangulation, member checking, peer debriefing, and inter-coder reliability assessment (calculated at 83%, exceeding the acceptable threshold of 60%).
Based on the qualitative findings, a questionnaire was developed to assess the causal relationships and hierarchical structure among identified factors using a 10-point Likert scale. The quantitative sample consisted of 234 experts and specialists in environmental and construction engineering fields in Tehran province, selected through stratified random sampling. For data analysis, two complementary techniques were employed: Fuzzy DEMATEL for identifying causal relationships and determining the influence and dependence of each factor, and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) for leveling the factors and establishing their hierarchical relationships. The DEMATEL method was implemented through four steps: (1) forming the direct relationship matrix (Z), (2) normalizing the matrix using N=S×ZN=S×Z, (3) calculating the total relationship matrix using T=N×(I−N)−1T=N×(I−N)−1, and (4) determining the threshold value and constructing the causal graph. The ISM method involved forming the reachability matrix based on significant relationships from DEMATEL results, followed by level partitioning through intersection of reachability and antecedent sets.
Results: The qualitative analysis identified 24 environmental impact factors organized into five paradigmatic categories: causal conditions (9 concepts: personal factors, pricing, quality, organizational mission, communication/public relations, structure, economic factors, individual project factors, advertising and awareness), intervening conditions (5 concepts: increasing competition, creativity and innovation, profit margin, access limitations, cost increases), core phenomenon (environmental impact factors of large-scale construction projects), strategies (6 concepts: reactive measures, incentive schemes, feedback, planning, technology, training), and consequences (3 concepts: financial outcomes, structural outcomes, cultural outcomes).
Conclusion: The proposed framework offers practical benefits for various stakeholders: environmental organizations can utilize it to systematize EIA procedures and enhance assessment quality; municipalities can integrate it into urban planning processes to support sustainable development; construction firms can employ it to identify and mitigate environmental risks during project planning and execution; and policymakers can leverage it to develop evidence-based environmental regulations and standards. The framework serves as a foundation for developing intelligent systems based on fuzzy neural networks and other AI methods in future research, contributing to the broader goal of sustainable urban development.

Abstract Privacy regulation and physical spatial organization are crucial dimensions of spatial quality in residential environments, which have been compromised in contemporary housing due to hasty spatial segregation, neglect of route refraction, and the prevalence of uncontrolled visual exposure. Aiming to analyze how physical components influence the organization of privacy and territoriality, this study conducts a comparative analysis of four prominent historical houses in Kasahan. Employing a qualitative approach based on logical argumentation, this research utilizes a descriptive-analytical method alongside a layer-by-layer plan analysis technique. Specifically, physical indicators were extracted from document analysis and subsequently evaluated across the selected cases using layer analysis and comparative matrices. Findings reveal that achieving privacy in the investigated cases is a dynamic process resulting from the synergy among spatial depth, circulation refraction, and light modulation. Increasing spatial depth and the proliferation of courtyards—through multi-articulated thresholds and optical filters—facilitate the mitigation of lines of sight without imposing absolute visual obstruction. In this pattern, natural light functions as a structural tool to grade spatial boundaries and support the transition from public to private domains. Ultimately, explicating this interconnected matrix offers a conceptual model for re-evaluating privacy and qualitative spatial organization in residential architecture.Ultimately, explicating this interconnected matrix offers a conceptual model for re-evaluating privacy and qualitative spatial organization in residential architecture.

Abstract Aims: Contemporary architectural heritage constitutes an important layer of urban identity and historical memory. However, ordinary residential buildings and other less prominent architectural works have generally received less attention than major monuments in conventional heritage recognition and conservation practices. This issue has become particularly important in Tehran, where rapid urban transformation and redevelopment have resulted in the alteration or disappearance of many buildings associated with the development of modern architecture. Shemiran represents a distinctive context within this process. Its transformation from a seasonal and garden-based settlement into an integrated part of metropolitan Tehran occurred alongside changes in population, accessibility, patterns of residence, construction technologies, materials, and architectural expression. Within this context, the area surrounding Tajrish Square provides an important setting for examining the surviving characteristics of contemporary architecture and their relationships with the urban environment. The present study aimed to recognize and classify the heritage potential of contemporary architecture in the area surrounding Tajrish Square through the analysis of urban image and landscape. It particularly sought to identify recurring architectural characteristics, organize the observed examples into typological groups, and clarify the recurring relationships among façades, openings, roofs, volumes, semi-open spaces, and external edges. Heritage potential was approached as a preliminary field of recognition rather than as a definitive declaration of heritage value.
Materials & Methods: The research adopted a qualitative and descriptive-analytical approach. Its overall process consisted of three stages: documentary and library research, field observation and visual documentation, and comparative analysis and typological classification. The study area was defined as the buildings located along the streets and passages surrounding Tajrish Square, with the architectural examples primarily associated with the Contemporary periods. The 36 examples were examined through field observation and external documentation. Because access to building interiors was limited, the analysis focused mainly on characteristics identifiable from the public realm and through the visual relationship between buildings and their surroundings. Nine analytical components were considered: façade composition, openings, roof form, visible technical elements, volumetric composition, architectural details, external walls and edges, semi-open and service spaces, and entrances. The characteristics of each example were first recorded descriptively and then compared to identify recurring attributes and relationships. Façade material was used as an initial indicator for differentiation; however, the final classification was based on the combination of material with façade geometry, opening organization, roof form, volumetric composition, semi-open spaces, external edges, and the relationship between buildings and open spaces or streets. The analytical process therefore proceeded from individual observation and documentation to comparison, pattern recognition, and typological classification.
Findings: The analysis identified three principal architectural types: brick-faced, stone-faced, and cement-finished buildings. The findings demonstrated that these groups could not be explained solely by differences in façade material. The brick type was generally characterized by relatively ordered façade compositions, a balanced combination of horizontal and vertical elements, horizontal and vertical openings, sloped roofs, brick-based detailing, and a relatively strong relationship with gardens, courtyards, and other open spaces. Verandas, terraces, and balconies frequently contributed to this relationship. The stone type was characterized by more dynamic and often asymmetrical volumetric compositions, projecting and recessed masses, large terraces and projecting balconies, continuous horizontal openings accompanied by vertical stairwell elements, flat roofs, and limited applied ornamentation. In this group, terraces and balconies functioned not only as semi-open spaces but also as components of volumetric organization. The cement type was distinguished by a strong emphasis on horizontal lines, ribbon and horizontal windows, horizontal sun-shading devices, flat roofs, geometric volumes, and the integration of terraces and balconies with the overall volumetric composition. Surface texture, framing, shadow and light, and the interaction of horizontal and vertical elements also contributed to its visual expression. Comparison across the three types demonstrated that recurring relationships among architectural elements constituted a more important basis for differentiation than material alone. Façade composition, opening organization, roof form, volumetric structure, semi-open spaces, external edges, and relationships with open space and the street interacted repeatedly to produce distinct configurations. Accordingly, the three types were interpreted as sets of recurring architectural and landscape relationships rather than as simple material categories. These relationships were described at a preliminary level as elements of a design language, rather than as a fully formalized shape grammar. The findings therefore extended the classification from material-based categorization toward an integrated typological reading of architectural and landscape attributes.
Conclusion: The study demonstrated that analysis of urban image and landscape can provide a useful preliminary framework for recognizing recurring patterns in contemporary architecture and identifying its heritage potential. The three types recognized around Tajrish Square were not simply categories based on brick, stone, or cement; rather, each represented a distinctive combination of façade organization, openings, roof forms, volumes, semi-open spaces, external edges, and relationships with open space and the street. This finding suggests that contemporary architectural heritage can be approached not only through individual buildings but also through recurring architectural patterns and contextual relationships that contribute to the identity and historical memory of an urban area. At the same time, typological recognition should not be regarded as equivalent to definitive heritage valuation. Establishing the heritage significance of individual examples requires further assessment of their historical, architectural, social, environmental, authenticity, integrity, and conservation values. Accordingly, the typological framework developed in this study can serve as an initial basis for systematic documentation, preliminary heritage screening, and the development of more context-sensitive approaches to the conservation and management of contemporary architectural resources in Shemiran.

Abstract Architectural space is shaped not only by the presence of material but also by the intervals, openings, fields, and volumes in which solid matter is absent. This raises a specific question: if the amount of void remains constant, can changes in its configuration alter the spatial relations among architectural elements? Drawing on Rumi’s notion of *ʿadam* (non-being) as a relational point of departure, this study approaches absence not as a direct architectural category, but as a way of asking how what is not materially present may nevertheless become consequential through its relations with what surrounds it. The study translates this question into an architectural investigation of the void as a condition of spatial organization. The Jameh Mosque of Ardestan was examined through four spatial conditions: the central courtyard, the southern iwan, a perforated screen (*moshabak*), and the domed chamber. Each was reconstructed from architectural plans, sections, and documentation and converted into an analytical model. A controlled within-case comparison was then conducted using five parametric states for each condition. In every test, the quantity of void was held constant while one configurational variable was systematically altered: the courtyard’s length-to-width ratio, the iwan’s relative depth, the distribution of apertures in the *moshabak*, and the vertical distribution of volume in the domed chamber. Their corresponding visual relations were measured through geometric modelling, line-of-sight testing, and two- and three-dimensional ray casting. The results show that changes in configuration produced measurable changes in all four corresponding visual relations, despite the quantity of void remaining unchanged. The courtyard exhibited an optimal range of proportions beyond which visual imbalance increased. In the iwan, greater relative depth consistently reduced mutual visibility between the courtyard and the domed chamber. In the *moshabak*, concentrating the apertures increased direct visual transmission even though their number, size, shape, and total open area remained constant. In the domed chamber, redistributing the same volume vertically altered the visual presence of its upper zones. Importantly, these responses were not uniform: they followed distinct patterns of optimality, nonlinear change, sensitivity to distribution, and asymmetry. The findings suggest that the architectural significance of void cannot be adequately described by its quantity alone. It becomes legible through the relationship between how void is configured and the spatial relation that responds to that configuration. Void, in this sense, is not merely an absence of matter, but a relational condition of spatial organization through which architectural relations are structured and transformed.

Abstract The dominance of quantitative, density-oriented, and economically driven approaches in the design of many contemporary residential complexes has reduced attention to residents’ psychological, social, and meaning-related needs, thereby weakening their emotional connection with the living environment. The main problem addressed in this study is the absence of an integrated framework for translating human needs into physical and spatial components applicable to residential design. Accordingly, this research aims to explain physical components responsive to human needs and develop a framework for enhancing place attachment in contemporary residential complexes. The main research question examines how physical components responsive to human needs can strengthen residents’ attachment to their residential environment. The study is applied in purpose and descriptive–analytical in nature. Data were collected through library and documentary research and a review of relevant sources concerning human needs, environmental psychology, housing quality, and place attachment. The collected data were examined using qualitative content analysis. During the analytical process, the extracted concepts were coded and classified into three dimensions: physical–functional, psychological–social, and meaning–cultural needs. The findings identified spatial hierarchy and privacy, safety and legibility, flexibility, spatial diversity, communal spaces, connection with nature, visual and identity-related qualities, personalization and participation, human scale and accessibility, and an appropriate relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces as the most significant physical components contributing to place attachment. The results further demonstrated that satisfying physical needs alone is insufficient to ensure lasting residential satisfaction. Place attachment is strengthened when the residential environment simultaneously provides comfort, security, environmental control, social interaction, freedom of choice, identity formation, and opportunities for creating individual and collective memories. Therefore, human-centered design in residential complexes requires an integrated spatial system connecting residential units, transitional spaces, communal territories, circulation areas, and natural elements. The proposed framework can serve as a basis for the preliminary design and qualitative evaluation of contemporary residential complexes and assist architects in translating different levels of human needs into practical design principles.

Abstract Aims: Spatial cohesion is a concept in urban studies that concerns the relationships and interactions among the spatial components of cities across different scales. It encompasses physical, functional, social, and planning dimensions and is associated with territorial cohesion, spatial integration, accessibility, urban morphology, and social cohesion. Despite increasing studies, the literature remains fragmented in concepts, themes, geography, and collaboration. Therefore, this study aims to analyze scientific outputs on urban spatial cohesion indexed in the Scopus database, identify major thematic areas and their evolution, examine the geographical distribution of research, and investigate international scientific collaboration patterns. The study provides a quantitative overview of scientific patterns, thematic structures, and collaboration networks and identifies potential thematic gaps and future research directions.
Materials & Methods: This study is applied and descriptive-analytical in approach. Scientific outputs related to urban spatial cohesion were retrieved from the Scopus database and screened according to thematic criteria. The final dataset included 491 documents from 252 sources, 2000–2026. Bibliometric characteristics included annual production, growth rate, authors per document, international co-authorship, keywords, leading journals, geographical distribution, and country collaboration. Keyword co-occurrence, thematic evolution, and collaboration networks were analyzed. Thematic evolution was examined across 2000–2019, 2020–2024, and 2025–2026. VOSviewer 1.6.20 and Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny were used for visualization and analysis.
Findings: The analysis identified 491 documents, 252 sources, a 14.84% annual growth rate, 2.9 authors per document, 22% international co-authorship, 1,773 keywords, 25,833 cited references, a 5.78-year average document age, and 17.9 citations per article. Publication activity was limited and gradual during the early years, with fewer than 10 papers annually until approximately 2010. Growth became more pronounced after 2013 and increased notably from 2020 onward, reaching the highest levels in 2025 and 2026. Because the data were extracted on June 20, 2026, the 2026 figures are provisional and represent an incomplete year. The leading journals were Sustainability (Switzerland) with 49 documents, Land with 21, Cities with 16, European Planning Studies with 13, Urban Studies with 10, and Land Use Policy with 8. Other outlets included Sustainable Cities and Society, Habitat International, Applied Geography, and Environment & Planning B: Urban Analytics & City Science. This distribution reflects links with sustainability, urban and regional planning, land-use policy, spatial analysis, and data-driven planning. China had the highest number of affiliated publications (230), followed by Spain (84), the United Kingdom (53), Portugal (44), Italy (41), and the United States (40). Indonesia, Poland, the Netherlands, and Germany also showed notable participation. Iran was represented by six documents. These frequencies are based on institutional affiliations; totals may differ from the number of documents because publications can involve multiple countries. Iran’s figure reflects only eligible English-language Scopus outputs and does not represent its total research capacity. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identified five major clusters: territorial cohesion and spatial planning; urban planning and urban morphology; spatial structure and urban networks; spatial integration and urban regeneration; and accessibility and social cohesion. Territorial Cohesion was the most frequent keyword (59 occurrences; total link strength [TLS] = 30), followed by Spatial Integration (34; TLS = 17) and Space Syntax (31; TLS = 22). Other prominent terms included Accessibility (19; TLS = 12), Sustainable Development (18; TLS = 12), Spatial Planning (17; TLS = 16), Urban Planning (10; TLS = 9), Urban Cohesion (10; TLS = 5), Urban Morphology (9; TLS = 8), Social Cohesion (8; TLS = 7), and Regional Development and Urban Development (8 each; TLS = 6). These measures indicate keyword frequency and co-occurrence strength but do not establish theoretical hierarchy or causal relationships. Thematic evolution showed that during 2000–2019, Territorial Cohesion, Spatial Integration, Regional Development, Accessibility, Urban Development, Segregation, and Polycentricity were prominent. During 2020–2024, Territorial Cohesion and Spatial Integration continued alongside Spatial Planning, Space Syntax, Urban Cohesion, and Sustainable Development. In 2025–2026, Space Syntax, Spatial Integration, Urban Cohesion, GIS, Spatial Analysis, Green Infrastructure, and Urban Regeneration became more visible. Because the periods have unequal lengths and 2026 is incomplete, these patterns indicate thematic emphasis rather than definitive future trends. The country collaboration network showed China, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, and Italy as prominent nodes. Spain and the United Kingdom demonstrated broad connections, while Germany and Italy linked several European countries. China showed strong production and connections with Europe, the United States, and Asia. Early collaboration was more visible among European and US countries, whereas later networks included China, Türkiye, Colombia, and Singapore. Iran appeared as a smaller node with limited links.
Conclusion: Overall, urban spatial cohesion research has developed into an expanding and interdisciplinary field characterized by increasing scientific production and considerable thematic diversity. The analysis of 491 documents demonstrates that the literature encompasses territorial cohesion, spatial integration, spatial planning, urban morphology, accessibility, spatial networks, sustainability, social cohesion, and urban regeneration. While Territorial Cohesion and Spatial Integration remain central concepts, the growing presence of Space Syntax, Urban Morphology, Spatial Analysis, Green Infrastructure, and Urban Regeneration indicates an expansion toward spatial-analytical, morphological, social, and sustainability-related perspectives. The uneven geographical distribution of scientific production and the structure of international collaboration show that research remains concentrated in several active countries, while participation has gradually expanded, particularly in Asia. Overall, this study provides a quantitative overview of publication trends, thematic structures, geographical distribution, and international collaboration, providing a basis for identifying thematic gaps, strengthening scientific cooperation, and developing research on spatial structure, planning, accessibility, social cohesion, sustainability, and spatial analysis.

Abstract Extended Abstract
Aims:
The growing energy use in the building sector and its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions have highlighted the need for building materials with improved thermal performance. Phase Change Materials (PCMs), due to their ability to store and release latent heat within a relatively stable temperature range, are considered a passive approach for reducing indoor temperature fluctuations, moderating heating and cooling loads, and improving thermal comfort. However, their direct application in building materials is associated with leakage, reduced mechanical properties, incompatibility with the material matrix, low thermal conductivity, and challenges related to long-term durability.
Accordingly, this study aims to conduct a scoping review of methods for integrating PCMs into building materials, with particular emphasis on encapsulation. It seeks to classify and compare integration approaches in terms of thermal performance, leakage control, mechanical properties, durability, applicability, and scalability, identify key research gaps, and provide an operational basis for selecting appropriate methods according to thermal, mechanical, economic, and climatic priorities.
Materials & Methods:
A scoping review was conducted to systematically map research on PCM integration into building materials. The review followed the Arksey and O’Malley framework, with ScR-PRISMA principles and JBI guidance applied to improve transparency in searching, screening, data extraction, and reporting. The research questions addressed PCM types and characteristics, integration methods, and building applications.
A systematic search was conducted in Scopus and Web of Science for studies published between 2019 and 2025, with an update on April 30, 2026. Search terms covered PCMs, organic and inorganic PCMs, building and construction materials, building envelopes, walls, roofs, floors, façades, panels, encapsulation, microencapsulation, macroencapsulation, impregnation, direct incorporation, and shape-stabilized PCMs. Of 72 initial records, eight duplicates were removed, leaving 64 for title and abstract screening. Following inclusion and exclusion criteria and full-text assessment, 35 studies were selected for final analysis. The review focused mainly on English-language studies indexed in Scopus and Web of Science because Persian-language literature on PCM integration was limited. Data were extracted on study characteristics, PCM type, integration method, building material or component, application, thermal performance, leakage control, mechanical consequences, durability, applicability, and research gaps. Integration methods were classified into direct incorporation, impregnation, encapsulation, and shape-stabilized composites.
Findings:
The reviewed studies mainly addressed three interconnected areas: thermal performance of building envelopes; effects of PCM incorporation on the mechanical properties and durability of concrete, mortar, gypsum, and related materials; and integration strategies for leakage control and thermal-cycle stability. Among the 35 selected studies, 24 (68.6%) investigated encapsulation, microencapsulation, or macroencapsulation, while 12 (34.3%) examined direct incorporation, impregnation, or shape-stabilized approaches. Because some studies addressed more than one method, the frequencies exceed the number of selected studies.
Direct incorporation and impregnation are simple and economical but present greater risks of leakage and reduced mechanical performance and durability without an effective protective barrier. They are therefore more suitable for specific non-structural applications or limited PCM contents. Encapsulation reduces direct contact between PCM and the host matrix through a protective shell. Microencapsulation provides relatively uniform PCM distribution and a high surface-to-volume ratio, making it suitable for mortar, gypsum, concrete, and wall panels. However, shell type and strength, capsule size and morphology, PCM content, manufacturing process, and matrix compatibility can affect performance. Increasing PCM content may improve thermal storage while reducing compressive strength and density.
Macroencapsulation enables larger PCM quantities and is particularly applicable to prefabricated components and multilayer envelope systems. Its performance depends on capsule geometry, heat-transfer paths, contact surface, and PCM location. Poorly designed systems may cause incomplete charging and discharging during daily thermal cycles. Shape-stabilized composites can reduce leakage and maintain PCM in the supporting structure during the liquid phase, although excessive supporting material may reduce effective latent heat storage capacity.
Building envelopes were the most frequently studied application, appearing in 19 studies (54.3%), while concrete, mortar, gypsum, and related materials appeared in 10 (28.6%). Regarding research design, 26 studies (74.3%) were reviews or analytical studies, 5 (14.3%) provided experimental evidence, and 4 (11.4%) used simulation or case-study approaches.
Conclusion:
PCMs can improve the thermal performance of building materials and envelopes by increasing latent thermal energy storage, reducing indoor temperature fluctuations, and supporting thermal comfort. However, effectiveness depends substantially on the integration method and cannot be assessed solely by thermal storage capacity.
Direct incorporation and impregnation offer simplicity and cost-effectiveness but involve greater risks of leakage, mechanical degradation, and durability problems. Microencapsulation and macroencapsulation provide more effective leakage control and improve PCM stability and compatibility, although they involve higher manufacturing costs, greater shell-design complexity, and potential reductions in compressive strength. Macroencapsulation is particularly appropriate for larger PCM quantities and component-level applications, while shape-stabilized composites provide another viable approach for improving leakage resistance and durability, although excessive supporting material may reduce effective latent heat storage capacity.
Selection of an integration method should consider the interaction among PCM type, phase-change temperature, building material, climatic conditions, mechanical requirements, and long-term durability. Encapsulation is among the most promising approaches, but it cannot be considered universally superior. Key research gaps include limited real-building and field-scale studies, insufficient long-term and thermal-cycle durability data, lack of standardized evaluation criteria, limited direct comparisons among integration methods, and inadequate integrated economic and environmental assessments. This study, by classifying integration methods and identifying key research gaps, provides an operational framework for selecting appropriate methods based on thermal, mechanical, economic, and climatic priorities, helping reduce the gap between research and industrial application.

Abstract Thermal comfort in urban open spaces, particularly along pedestrian corridors directly adjacent to heavily trafficked urban arterials, represents a pressing challenge for contemporary sustainable urban planning and landscape architecture. Rapid urbanization, the extensive proliferation of impermeable mineral surfaces, and high anthropogenic heat emissions from dense vehicular movement collectively exacerbate the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon. This microclimatic degradation leads to severe outdoor thermal stress, diminishes pedestrian walkability, and poses acute environmental health risks. Although urban green infrastructure (UGI) has been widely recognized as an effective passive cooling intervention, comparative microclimatic assessments regarding how distinct spatial configurations and typologies of greenery—such as green roofs, vertical green façades, roadside tree canopies, and pedestrian green bridges—differentially modulate microclimatic conditions across distinct spatial zones (namely, pedestrian pathways versus active vehicular carriageways) remain insufficiently addressed in the literature. To bridge this critical empirical gap, this study conducted a comparative numerical evaluation of diverse green-cover interventions on outdoor microclimatic parameters, with a primary focus on the Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) index, across two functionally contrasting spatial domains: a pedestrian sidewalk and the median axis of an urban highway corridor.

The study investigated an urban canyon located adjacent to the Navab Expressway in Tehran, an area characterized by semi-arid climatic conditions, dense high-rise residential morphology, and extreme vehicular congestion. Methodologically, this applied investigation employed three-dimensional microclimate numerical modeling via the ENVI-met (v4.4.5) simulation suite, while spatial distributions and extraction of climatic output data were post-processed using the Leonardo tool. To conduct a rigorous sensitivity analysis, twenty-two distinct scenarios were conceptualized, modeled, and evaluated. These comprised the baseline existing condition alongside individual and compound greening strategies implemented across progressive coverage ratios (20%, 40%, and 60%). The simulated typologies encompassed extensive green roofs, vertical living walls (green façades), street-level shade trees, and an innovative green pedestrian overpass bridge. Simulations were executed over a diurnal cycle on the summer solstice (June 21), capturing the most extreme thermal conditions, with high-resolution temporal data extracted and analyzed specifically for 3:00 a.m. (nocturnal baseline) and 3:00 p.m. (peak diurnal solar radiation and thermal stress). The physical and biometeorological parameters—including air temperature, relative humidity, wind velocity, mean radiant temperature ($T_{mrt}$), and PET—were continuously monitored via two specific receptor points: one situated on the pedestrian sidewalk and another positioned at the center median of the expressway.

The quantitative findings revealed pronounced divergences between micro-scale pedestrian zones and macro-scale traffic corridors. On the pedestrian sidewalk, Scenario 20—a synergistic multi-layered configuration combining 20% vertical green façades, 20% green roofs, and a vegetated pedestrian bridge—demonstrated the superior cooling performance, yielding a notable 1.60°C reduction in PET at 3:00 p.m. relative to the baseline condition. Remarkably, this compound vertical-horizontal green infrastructure strategy outperformed conventional ground-level tree planting, largely due to its combined capacity to obstruct incident lateral radiation, diminish reflected longwave radiation from canyon surfaces, and stimulate localized evapotranspiration without impeding pedestrian wind circulation. Conversely, within the high-speed roadway median, Scenario 13—comprising a high-density integration of 60% green façades and 60% green roofs—emerged as the most effective microclimatic intervention, achieving PET mitigations of 1.03°C during the early morning hours and 0.37°C during peak afternoon conditions.

Furthermore, the comparative assessment showed that the isolated deployment of the green pedestrian bridge exerted an almost negligible influence on reducing mean radiant temperature or PET within the roadway median; however, when strategically integrated with vertical greening along the pedestrian edge, it generated beneficial localized aerodynamic shading and thermal relief for pedestrians. In conclusion, this research demonstrates that optimal cooling strategies for micro-scale pedestrian corridors and broad vehicular thoroughfares are not uniform. Urban landscape architects and municipal authorities cannot adopt generalized greening guidelines; rather, climate-responsive retrofitting requires differentiated, multi-scalar design paradigms that holistically balance vertical surface greening, rooftop modifications, and targeted pedestrian infrastructure to optimize public outdoor thermal comfort.

Abstract Atriums are among the common architectural strategies for introducing daylight into the deeper parts of buildings. However, their performance has traditionally been assessed primarily through conventional visual metrics, such as the Daylight Factor and Daylight Autonomy, while recent advances in light physiology and the publication of CIE S 026/E:2018 have demonstrated that light influences not only visual conditions but also circadian rhythms, alertness, and human well-being through intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs). This study aims to examine and integrate two relatively independent bodies of literature, namely architectural and computational studies of atrium geometry and research on light physiology, and to identify the connections between them within an integrated conceptual framework. The research is qualitative and fundamental in nature and adopts an analytical-interpretive approach to review and synthesize library and documentary sources across four dimensions: architectural, luminous, computational, and physiological. In addition, a basic explanatory model based on the geometric analysis of the solar path is presented to demonstrate the practical application of the proposed framework for determining the preliminary dimensions of an atrium. The findings indicate that although the relationship between atrium geometric parameters, including plan proportions, height, and well geometry, and daylight performance has been well documented, their relationship with non-visual light metrics, particularly Melanopic EDI, remains comparatively underexplored. This gap between the architectural and physiological bodies of literature constitutes a key research opportunity. Accordingly, the study proposes a five-level conceptual framework comprising architectural variables, light characteristics, visual performance, non-visual performance, and health-oriented interpretation for analyzing the luminous environmental quality of atriums. The findings provide a conceptual basis for future research on health-oriented atrium design and the development of integrated approaches for evaluating the visual and biological quality of daylight.

Abstract **Aims:** Urban public spaces are key settings in which spatial justice is experienced in everyday urban life. Their inclusiveness cannot be assessed solely through physical availability or geographical distribution, because different social groups may experience unequal opportunities for access, use, safety, participation, and meaningful engagement. This study aimed to explain the nature of urban public-space inclusiveness within the framework of spatial justice in Tabriz, Iran. It moved beyond a predominantly distributive understanding of spatial justice by examining how physical, social, economic, and cultural conditions shape citizens’ actual experiences of public space. Inclusiveness was therefore conceptualized not simply as formal accessibility, but as the real possibility for diverse groups to use, experience, and participate in public spaces safely, independently, equitably, and meaningfully.

**Materials & Methods:** The study employed a qualitative approach and a case-study strategy. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews, systematic field observations, and examination of relevant documents. Fifteen participants were purposively selected based on their knowledge of or experience with public spaces in Tabriz, including five university experts in urban planning and design, six urban managers and professionals, and four citizens. Data collection continued until data saturation was reached and no new themes emerged. Interview data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis procedure with the assistance of NVivo software. The analytical process included familiarization with the data, inductive generation of initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing and refining themes, defining and naming themes, and developing the final analytical interpretation. Spatial justice was not imposed as a predetermined coding structure but was used as the theoretical lens for interpreting themes emerging from the data. The analysis generated 287 initial codes, which were progressively organized, reviewed, and conceptually integrated into 34 subthemes and 12 main themes. At the interpretive level, the themes were organized into four interconnected dimensions: physical, social, economic, and cultural. Frequencies of coded references were used only to describe the structure of the analyzed data and were not interpreted as indicators of the importance, intensity, or priority of particular dimensions.

**Findings:** The findings showed that public-space inclusiveness is a multidimensional and relational phenomenon rather than a condition determined by a single physical attribute. The physical dimension encompassed spatial accessibility and continuity, environmental quality and safety, urban design and furniture, and adaptability to diverse users and activities. The social dimension highlighted citizen participation, perceived security, social interaction, and opportunities for different groups to engage meaningfully in public life. The economic dimension concerned equitable access to resources and services, affordability of using public spaces, and the economic sustainability of their provision and maintenance. The cultural dimension emphasized recognition of cultural diversity, local identity, place attachment, and the representation of different groups’ experiences and values in shared urban environments. Integrated interpretation demonstrated that these dimensions operate through interconnected relationships. Physical accessibility can enable presence, but inadequate safety or environmental quality may restrict actual use. Similarly, formal accessibility does not necessarily ensure inclusiveness when economic constraints limit continued use or when particular cultural identities and needs remain unrecognized. Citizen participation can improve the responsiveness of planning and management to diverse needs, while recognition of local identity and cultural diversity can strengthen attachment and sustained engagement. Thus, inclusiveness emerges through the interaction of environmental usability, safety, participation, equitable economic access, and cultural recognition rather than through physical accessibility alone.

**Conclusion:** The study concludes that public space cannot be considered inclusive merely because it is publicly accessible or geographically available. Inclusiveness requires the actual possibility for diverse citizens to enter, use, experience, participate in, and establish meaningful relationships with public space under equitable conditions. The study extends the interpretation of spatial justice beyond the distribution of urban resources toward the equitable experience of public space. From this perspective, distributive justice concerns access to resources and opportunities, procedural justice concerns meaningful participation in decisions, and recognition-oriented justice concerns acknowledgement of differences in users’ needs, identities, and experiences. Consequently, interventions limited to increasing the quantity of public spaces or improving isolated physical elements are unlikely to ensure inclusiveness unless social, economic, and cultural conditions are simultaneously addressed. Urban planning and management in Tabriz should therefore evaluate public spaces through integrated criteria encompassing accessibility, environmental quality, safety, affordability, participation, adaptability, cultural diversity, and local identity. As a qualitative case study, the findings are context-dependent and should not be interpreted as statistical estimates of all public spaces. Future research can examine the proposed framework in other urban contexts through comparative studies, citizen surveys, GIS-based accessibility analysis, and mixed-method designs. Overall, inclusive public spaces require an integrated, experience-based, and spatially just approach to urban planning, design, and management.

Abstract Aims:
Visual perception is a fundamental component of human experience in architectural and urban environments. The way people perceive a space is influenced not only by its physical characteristics but also by the physiological mechanisms of vision and the manner in which visual information is selected and processed. Nevertheless, many criteria for organizing architectural elements and determining spatial proportions are still primarily based on physical and normative principles, with limited attention to actual visual behavior. From this perspective, viewing angle, observer position, distance from surrounding façades, and the location of architectural elements within the visual field may affect the distribution of visual attention. The present study aims to explain the role of viewing angle in visual perception by analyzing users’ visual attention patterns in the Azadi Courtyard of the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza. It specifically examines how changes in observer position and visual field influence attention toward architectural and environmental elements. The study also seeks to investigate the relationship between the theoretical concept of visual comfort and empirical eye-movement patterns in order to provide a more objective understanding of visual perception in architectural courtyards.
Materials & Methods: This study employed an applied and descriptive-analytical approach combining theoretical analysis with an empirical eye-tracking experiment. The Azadi Courtyard of the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza was selected as the case study, and three 360-degree visual sequences were prepared for presentation in a virtual reality environment. The first and second sequences represented viewpoints near the entrance of the courtyard, while the third represented a viewpoint located in the middle of the courtyard with a more direct view toward the Golden Iwan. Twenty voluntary participants, including 10 males and 10 females, participated in the experiment. Each visual sequence was presented for 20 seconds in the same order for all participants. Eye movements were recorded using a FOVE eye-tracking headset following individual calibration, and the collected data were analyzed using Gaze Analysis software. Visual attention was evaluated based on two main eye-movement measures, Fixation and Saccade. The analysis was conducted using five Areas of Interest (AOIs): building mass, landmark elements, sky, paving, and vegetation. A theoretical visual comfort zone was also considered to examine the relationship between observer position, viewing angle, distance from façades, and the extent of the visual field.
Findings: The findings revealed differences in visual attention patterns across the three viewing positions. The first, second, and third images generated 2,143, 1,854, and 2,351 fixations, respectively, indicating the highest level of visual activity in the third position. Building masses and prominent architectural elements were the main areas of visual attention. In the first and second images, building masses received the highest numbers of fixations, with 945 and 744 fixations, respectively. In the third image, however, landmark elements became the dominant focus, receiving 957 fixations compared with 845 fixations for the building mass. The visual comfort zone also represented a substantial part of users’ gaze patterns. In the third position, it accounted for 1,547 fixations and 93.4% of total fixation duration, which was the highest value among the three viewpoints. In contrast, the sky, paving, and vegetation received considerably fewer fixations. These findings suggest that visual attention is not determined simply by the presence of an element within the visual field. Rather, visual prominence, spatial position, architectural significance, and the relationship between the element and the observer’s viewing angle appear to influence the allocation of visual attention.
Conclusion: The results indicate that visual perception in the Azadi Courtyard is shaped through the interaction of observer position, viewing angle, visual field, distance from surrounding façades, and the visual characteristics of architectural elements. The greater attention directed toward the Golden Iwan and minaret from the central viewpoint suggests that the appropriate positioning of prominent architectural elements within the visual field may contribute to stronger visual concentration. The high level of fixation within the visual comfort zone at this position further suggests a potentially favorable relationship between viewing conditions and visual attention. The findings also highlight the distinction between visibility and attention: although all environmental components were present within the visual field, they did not receive equal levels of attention. Building masses and landmark elements attracted substantially more fixations than vegetation, paving, and sky. Therefore, eye-tracking technology can provide an empirical method for investigating visual behavior and complement conventional approaches such as field observation and spatial analysis. The findings may contribute to the assessment and design of courtyards and other architectural spaces by providing a behavioral basis for understanding how viewing angle, observer position, and the placement of prominent elements influence visual experience and attention.

Abstract Extended Abstract
Aims:
This study aimed to evaluate citizens' satisfaction with the design components of Emam Khomeini Square in Hamedan and determine the relative contribution of each factor. The main questions were: What components affect citizens' satisfaction based on a seven-factor model? What is the level of satisfaction? Is there a significant difference between women and men? What is the main reason for citizens' presence? The study sought to address gaps in previous research by providing a comprehensive model covering physical, functional, perceptual, social, and managerial dimensions, offering quantitative prioritization of factors, and examining gender differences. The theoretical framework was based on Carmona, Whyte, Gehl, Lynch, and Newman, who consider satisfaction with urban spaces a multidimensional phenomenon. The seven-factor model was developed to cover different dimensions while preventing conceptual overlap. Physical factors were divided into facade and middle; access-location was added as a contextual factor, and managerial as a supporting factor. The dependent variable was citizens' satisfaction, while social interactions were considered an indirect outcome based on theoretical foundations, not an independently measured variable.
Materials & Methods:
This applied, descriptive-survey study used a researcher-made questionnaire. The population consisted of native citizens present in Emam Square who met inclusion criteria: being a native of Hamedan, having at least six months of presence, and being present during distribution. Due to the unknown number of visitors and absence of a complete list, available sampling was used. Questionnaires were distributed at different times (morning, afternoon, and evening) and locations to reduce bias. The sample size of 100 was determined based on exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression rules. The questionnaire included demographic information and 31 components in 7 factors using a five-point Likert scale. Validity was confirmed by expert opinion and EFA; reliability by Cronbach's alpha (0.79–0.81). KMO was 0.84, and Bartlett's test was significant (p<0.001). Overall satisfaction was measured through 3 independent items (overall satisfaction, willingness to return, recommending to others) with reliability of 0.82, to prevent structural overlap with predictors. Independent variables included 7 factors: access-location, physical-facade, physical-middle, visual-aesthetic, psychological-social, functional-vitality, and managerial. Due to non-normal distribution, the Mann-Whitney test and multiple regression (with assumptions checked: linearity, independence of errors, homoscedasticity, residual distribution, outliers, influence, and multicollinearity; Durbin-Watson=1.94; VIF between 1.12 and 1.89) were used. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 26.
Findings:
Of the 100 respondents, 58% were women and 42% men. The largest age group was 18–30 years (31%). Most visits occurred in the evening (56%), with walking (28%) and shopping (26%) as main motivations. Mean scores ranged from 3.74 to 4.11. Highest: facade function (4.20), happiness (4.11), roads (4.10), active interactions (4.09). Lowest: parking (2.09), floor design (2.27), passive interactions (2.68), natural elements (2.79). Mann-Whitney results showed women had higher satisfaction with lighting, prominent buildings, color/texture, natural elements, geometric shape, seating, comfort, and active interactions; men had higher satisfaction with security, rest, and roads. Multiple regression showed three factors significantly predicted satisfaction: functional-vitality (β=0.35), psychological-social (β=0.28), and access-location (β=0.20), together explaining 68.5% of the variance (R²=0.685; F=36.45; p<0.001). The other four factors were not significant.
Conclusion:
Citizens' satisfaction with Emam Square is at a desirable level. Functional-vitality scored highest (mean 4.10, 89% satisfaction), while managerial factor scored lowest (mean 3.03, 70% satisfaction), especially parking. Walking was the main motivation, showing the square functions well for movement but less as a social meeting place. Satisfaction with active interactions (4.09) was significantly higher than passive interactions (2.68), which may foster sustainable social interactions based on theoretical foundations, though definitive proof requires longitudinal research. The study contributes by distinguishing active and passive interactions, adding managerial, psychological-social, and functional-vitality dimensions, and providing quantitative prioritization. Results differ from Etesamian et al. (2019) and Haghi et al. (2017). Limitations include available sampling, borderline sample size for EFA, lack of confirmatory factor analysis, single-case study, and cross-sectional data. It is recommended that planners prioritize functional-vitality, psychological-social, and access-location factors. Future research should use larger samples, longitudinal methods, and confirmatory factor analysis.

Abstract In addition to optimizing energy consumption, daylight is efficient in the health quality of indoor spaces, the interaction of architecture with social behaviors, and the health of individuals in the space. In addition to increasing the quality of natural light in the space, benefiting a daylight control system significantly reduces the building's electrical energy consumption. The study aims to deals with the amount and the way the quality of the openings of the building's windows affects the quality of the received daylight. Therefore, it investigates the effect of the opening rate of the designed Iranian knot on the efficiency of natural lighting in the office space based on international standards, applying daylight simulation software and annual analyzes consistent with the weather information of Mashhad, through the occupation hours of the space. Firstly, However, the paper studies the basic concepts of the research; secondly, analytical tools are employed and analyzed how the quality of openings affects the quality of receiving light. Lastly, the result is formulated with logical reasoning based on analytical tools. Moreover, the results indicate that the opening coefficient holds a great effect on the distribution of natural light in different directions, particularly on the south front. Furthermore, the importance of daylight in optimizing the amount of energy consumption, the health quality of indoor spaces, and the health of individuals in the space is efficient through a systematic design that may control daylight consistent with the requirements.

Abstract The rapid expansion of cities and uncontrolled population growth have led to numerous challenges. Therefore, urban tourism, especially in developing countries like Iran, presents an economic advantage that can accelerate the development process. Given that the city of Hamedan holds significant potential as a major tourist attraction, this study aims to investigate, identify, and analyze the factors influencing urban tourism development, assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) in tourism, and propose strategies to enhance the tourism industry in Hamedan. The research methodology in this study combines both field and analytical approaches. In the first phase, research hypotheses and indicators were distributed via questionnaires among 355 tourists, and their correlations were analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation test in SPSS software. The questionnaire's validity was established as face validity, and reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, resulting in values of 0.70 for the first hypothesis, 0.68 for the second, and 0.73 for the third. The results revealed no significant relationship between the development of Hamedan's tourism industry and the indicators of the first hypothesis. Additionally, the third hypothesis, suggesting low satisfaction among tourists with urban services in Hamedan, was rejected. However, the second hypothesis, which posited a significant relationship between the integration of tourism organizations and the development of Hamedan’s tourism, was confirmed. In the second phase, the SWOT analysis and the internal-external factors matrix (IEFM) were used to propose strategies for improving tourism industry in Hamedan. Subsequently, the strategies were prioritized using the QSPM method. The results indicate that attracting private sector investments to enhance accommodation and recreational infrastructure and leveraging the city’s rich historical, cultural, and natural attractions are among the most significant strategies for advancing Hamedan’s tourism industry.

Abstract Extended Abstract
Aims: This study examines the relationship between humans and nature and its impact on spatial experience and mental well-being, highlighting historical Iranian gardens as exemplary models of intelligent human-nature interaction. Through geometric patterns, water flows, diverse vegetation, and spatial hierarchies, these gardens integrate aesthetic and climatic functions while shaping human experiences of space. Despite extensive research on Iranian garden design, few studies have systematically analyzed both nature-oriented and human-oriented components, particularly how direct, indirect, and spatial experiences of nature are reflected in garden layouts. Therefore, analyzing biophilic elements and reinterpreting the spatial pattern of the Shazdeh Mahan Garden with a focus on human experience is essential for advancing human and nature-centered landscape design in Iran.This research aims to explore traditional Iranian architectural capabilities in creating nature-oriented, human-centered spaces using the threefold Clarett model, through qualitative analysis of natural elements and spatial patterns, ultimately deriving strategies for contemporary design rooted in Iranian culture. The main research questions focus on identifying biophilic architectural elements in the garden and understanding how the three types of biophilic experiences direct, indirect, and spatial manifest in its layout.
Materials & Methods: This applied study aims to enhance the design quality of historical Iranian gardens, particularly the Shazdeh Mahan Garden, using a descriptive-analytical and mixed-methods (qualitative–quantitative) approach. Data were collected through literature review to identify theoretical concepts, a physical checklist to evaluate the garden’s structure, and five-point Likert questionnaires to assess perceptions of visitors and experts. Qualitative analysis involved content analysis and spatial-physical comparison to extract biophilic elements and understand their manifestation in the garden. Quantitative data from 30 visitors and 10 experts were analyzed to evaluate both user perceptions and expert assessments simultaneously. The questionnaire’s validity and reliability were ensured through expert review and Cronbach’s alpha. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and one-sample t-tests to examine the significance of biophilic elements. This integrated approach allows for alignment between spatial analysis and human perception, although limitations included the difficulty of quantifying subjective experiences, time constraints for field observations, and limited access to experts.
Findings: Shahzadeh Mahan Garden in Kerman is a prominent example of Iranian Qajar-era gardens, featuring a axial and hierarchical design, water flow from the Tigran qanat, and an organized arrangement of garden beds, pathways, and pools that create a multisensory experience of human-nature interaction. This study, using a combination of three data collection methods literature review, spatial-physical analysis, and questionnaires showed that biophilic architectural elements are widely present in the garden. Direct nature experiences, including flowing water, diverse vegetation, and natural light and shade, have the greatest psychological and sensory impact on visitors. Indirect nature experiences, through local materials, geometric patterns, and lighting, enhance visual harmony and the sense of nature. Human-centered spatial experiences, guided by spatial hierarchies, sight axes, and the central pavilion, facilitate purposeful movement and active interaction. The findings indicate that these three dimensions work synergistically, making Shahzadeh Mahan Garden a successful example of Iranian biophilic architecture, providing an integrated and rich experience of human-nature connection both physically and perceptually.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the Shazdeh Mahan Garden in Kerman Province is a remarkable example of Iranian biophilic architecture, where the three core dimensions of the Clarret model direct experience of nature, indirect experience of nature, and human-centered spatial experience coexist harmoniously, strengthening the interaction between humans and the natural environment. In the direct experience of nature, water features, diverse vegetation, and shading provide relaxation, focus, and a sense of connection to nature, experienced by users as sensory and tactile stimuli. In the indirect experience, geometric patterns, native materials, and natural lighting create a sense of spatial harmony and rhythm without the immediate presence of natural elements. The human-centered spatial experience, organized around main axes, rest points, and the central pavilion, guides movement and spatial perception. The integration of these three dimensions enhances users’ psychological, perceptual, and movement experiences, making Shazdeh Mahan Garden a unique model among Iranian gardens. The findings suggest that contemporary landscape and public space design in Iran can leverage these biophilic principles to create a cohesive, psychologically enriching, and human-centered experience for users.

Abstract To achieve harmony with nature, humans must conserve natural energy and resources while using them efficiently. This study primarily aims to investigate the bionic performance of termites and ants to optimize ventilation and energy consumption. Secondary objectives include examining termite and ant nests and their functional methods for creating natural ventilation, as well as their strategies for energy conservation. Termites and ants, known for building some of the most intricate subterranean nests with deep, interconnected systems, instinctively maintain stable temperatures, optimal airflow, and relative humidity throughout their nests. Their bionic behaviors serve as effective models for achieving natural ventilation and energy conservation. The research methodology is primarily analytical, involving an examination of termite and ant nests, their functional patterns, and an integration of all findings to achieve the ultimate goal of energy preservation. By gathering information from library and online sources, utilizing credible translated books and articles, and analyzing the functional mechanisms of termite and ant nests for natural ventilation, this study synthesizes and evaluates findings to derive actionable insights for optimizing ventilation and energy in architecture.The results of this research highlight how the behaviors of termites and ants in nest construction—focused on energy conservation and ventilation optimization—can serve as inspiration for developing bionic design ideas that promote harmony with nature.

Abstract Schools have long been among the most important places for imparting knowledge and nurturing the spiritual development of children, and the impact of their environment on personality formation in adulthood is undeniable. This study aims to demonstrate the relationship between school courtyards and green spaces and the promotion of spiritual education among elementary school students. Accordingly, the key research question is: How can the connection between school green spaces and Islamic thought be analyzed to enhance the spiritual growth of elementary students?The research starts with a primary hypothesis and is based on previous foundational studies. It seeks to examine the relationship between the physical structure and architectural elements of the Persian garden used in school courtyards and students’ familiarity with the origin and essence of creation, aiming to promote spiritual education within the educational spaces of elementary schools.This applied research employs both qualitative and quantitative approaches to answer the research questions. In the first phase (qualitative), the principles and architectural criteria of educational buildings designed by integrating traditional school courtyards were extracted. In the next phase, using an analytical method, the obtained criteria were examined in Iranian schools, and the values and design strategies of school courtyards were evaluated and analyzed.An observational and analytical study was conducted on several sample schools, which contributed to the final pattern formulation.Findings indicate that the presence of courtyards designed in the style of Persian gardens with garden geometry and pools can guide children towards spiritual education and elevated personal growth.

Abstract Iranian architecture underwent significant transformations during the Pahlavi era, as historical elements merged with Western modernist styles in an effort to define a new architectural identity. This period provided a platform for the representation of Iran’s history and culture within contemporary architecture, influenced simultaneously by nationalist policies and modernization efforts. The key issue in this study is to examine various approaches to historical interpretation in the architecture of this era and its impact on shaping contemporary Iranian architectural identity. Employing a descriptive-analytical approach and a documentary-historical method, this research analyzes the physical structures of buildings and examines their social and political contexts. The primary data sources include library research, analysis of visual documents, and field visits to significant architectural landmarks. Findings indicate that historical interpretation in Pahlavi architecture involved direct use of ancient symbols, a combination of traditional and modern elements, and the fusion of various Western styles with Iranian architecture. While some of these interpretations faced criticism, they played a crucial role in shaping contemporary Iranian architectural identity. Many buildings from this period reflect efforts to strike a balance between tradition and modernity.

Abstract Accessibility in urban public spaces is one of the foundations for achieving spatial justice and a fundamental indicator in assessing the quality of the environment for all segments of society, especially people with physical and motor disabilities. In many Iranian cities, including Pardis, sidewalk furniture faces serious deficiencies in terms of placement, design, and adaptation to the special needs of users. These deficiencies have led to the formation of physical barriers, unwanted social exclusion, and limited social interactions and the active presence of people with disabilities in urban spaces. Neglect of the principles of inclusive and human-centered design, along with non-compliance with global accessibility standards, has prevented these spaces from fulfilling their inclusive role. The present study aims to analyze the current status of sidewalk furniture in Pardis and provide efficient design solutions tailored to the needs of users with physical and motor disabilities. The research approach was descriptive-analytical, and data collection was carried out using systematic field observation methods, semi-structured interviews with users, and content analysis of urban documents. The findings show that the lack of standard ramps, the lack of provision for lateral space for wheelchairs, slippery floors, narrow paths, and the lack of information boards at appropriate heights were among the factors affecting accessibility and the quality of user experience. Accordingly, a design framework based on the principles of spatial justice, universal and human-centered design has been developed, which, while improving the performance of sidewalk furniture, can be used to review urban management policies and promote the inclusiveness of public spaces.

Abstract The present article emphasizes the need to pay attention to the environmental dimensions and especially the natural substrate in architectural and urban planning projects. Comprehensive attention to nature is necessary in all cultural and climatic dimensions of architecture. Relying on the knowledge of technology, modern man has no qualms about changing and destroying nature, and a review of recent experiences shows the destruction of natural resources by implementing some plans on different scales. Of course, the advancement of technology does not necessarily conflict with the natural mechanism and sometimes it also takes steps to strengthen the relationship with the natural environment. This is despite the fact that the ancients paid more attention to nature and their hand-made works were made with much higher harmony than nature. Based on field observations and citing library sources and document analysis, this research seeks to prove the hypothesis that modern architectural knowledge should also give more importance to the adaptation of design to nature and take steps to strengthen human interaction with nature as much as possible. Undoubtedly, understanding this issue with practical training and workshops based on environmental knowledge can provide better conditions for sustainable development. The aim of this training will be to gain scientific knowledge about the resources of the natural environment, moral principles, values and skills in line with sustainable development.

Abstract Aims: The rapid advancement of computational technologies and artificial intelligence has fundamentally transformed conventional paradigms for documenting, analyzing, designing, and conserving heritage landscapes. As the volume and complexity of spatial data continue to grow, traditional intuition-based decision-making is gradually being replaced by evidence-based, data-driven approaches. Consequently, the concept of Future Heritage Landscapes has emerged as a new research paradigm in which heritage conservation extends beyond preserving existing physical characteristics toward predicting future conditions, supporting adaptive management, and enabling intelligent planning through computational systems.
Heritage landscapes represent complex socio-ecological systems integrating tangible and intangible values, spatial configurations, ecological processes, and accumulated indigenous knowledge. Historic Persian gardens, recognized as one of the most significant cultural landscape typologies worldwide, embody centuries of environmental wisdom, hydraulic engineering, climatic adaptation, and symbolic spatial organization. However, conventional documentation techniques often fail to capture the multidimensional relationships embedded within these landscapes or to support comprehensive decision-making processes.
Literature Background: Recent developments in UAV photogrammetry, computer vision, machine learning, and Decision Support Systems (DSSs) have introduced new opportunities for collecting high-resolution spatial data and transforming them into actionable knowledge. Rather than serving merely as computational tools for data processing, intelligent DSSs provide integrated frameworks capable of organizing heterogeneous datasets, extracting hidden knowledge, simulating alternative scenarios, and supporting evidence-based decisions. Computational technologies have thus become an essential foundation for developing adaptive and resilient future heritage landscapes. This study investigates the role of computational Decision Support Systems in facilitating the transition from intuition-based to data-driven decision-making within landscape architecture and cultural heritage management. Specifically, the research aims to explain how advanced data acquisition technologies—particularly UAV-based photogrammetry—can provide the spatial information required for intelligent decision-making processes. Furthermore, the study proposes a conceptual framework illustrating the transformation of raw data into information, information into knowledge, and knowledge into informed decisions through computational systems, with particular attention to integrating artificial intelligence into each stage.
Materials & Methods: The research adopts a descriptive–analytical and developmental methodology. Initially, an extensive literature review was conducted concerning computational design, AI, data mining, spatial analysis, and DSSs. Subsequently, various landscape data acquisition methods were comparatively evaluated, and UAV photogrammetry was identified as the most appropriate technique for documenting historic Persian gardens due to its ability to generate dense, accurate, and high-resolution spatial datasets while maintaining relatively low operational costs. Image datasets acquired by UAVs were processed using Structure from Motion and Multi-View Stereo algorithms to produce dense point clouds, orthophotos, digital elevation models, textured meshes, and complete three-dimensional representations of heritage landscapes. The resulting datasets were subsequently integrated into a Decision Support System specifically developed for heritage landscape analysis, comprising multiple computational layers including data management, spatial analysis, information processing, knowledge extraction, and intelligent decision support.
Findings: The findings demonstrate that UAV photogrammetry provides highly accurate, multi-dimensional, and information-rich datasets that substantially enhance the documentation and analysis of heritage landscapes. Beyond geometric reconstruction, the generated datasets facilitate the extraction of valuable information concerning vegetation distribution, irrigation networks, topography, spatial hierarchy, architectural structures, and environmental characteristics. The study further reveals that the true value of spatial data emerges only after systematic integration within an intelligent Decision Support System. Through the integration of spatial, historical, ecological, and visual information, the developed DSS transforms heterogeneous datasets into meaningful information and subsequently into actionable knowledge. AI algorithms identify hidden spatial relationships, recognize recurring landscape patterns, classify environmental conditions, detect anomalies, monitor temporal changes, and support predictive analyses that would be difficult to accomplish using conventional analytical approaches.
Conclusion: The proposed framework demonstrates that decision-making in heritage landscape management can be conceptualized as a hierarchical computational process composed of four successive stages: Data → Information → Knowledge → Decision. Unlike traditional conservation practices that often rely primarily on expert intuition and qualitative assessments, AI-driven Decision Support Systems provide transparent, reproducible, and evidence-based recommendations supported by quantitative analyses. Moreover, the integration of historical documentation, remote sensing, three-dimensional models, and environmental monitoring enables continuous evaluation of landscape conditions and facilitates dynamic management strategies capable of responding to future changes. From a broader theoretical perspective, the research suggests that computational systems redefine heritage conservation by shifting emphasis from static documentation toward continuous knowledge generation, significantly enhancing the capacity of landscape architects and heritage managers to understand complex interactions between cultural values, ecological processes, and spatial organization. This study demonstrates that computational Decision Support Systems constitute a transformative framework for the future of heritage landscape conservation and management. Rather than functioning solely as analytical software, AI-enabled DSSs integrate diverse datasets, extract meaningful knowledge, simulate future scenarios, and support evidence-based decision-making throughout the entire heritage management process. UAV photogrammetry emerges as one of the most efficient methods for generating accurate, comprehensive, and analytically valuable three-dimensional datasets of historic landscapes. When combined with AI, computer vision, and data mining algorithms, these datasets become the foundation for intelligent decision-making frameworks capable of supporting conservation, restoration, planning, and adaptive management. The proposed computational workflow provides a comprehensive paradigm for developing Future Heritage Landscapes by preserving, transferring, and regenerating both explicit and tacit ecological knowledge embedded within historic Persian gardens. Ultimately, this research argues that the future of cultural landscape conservation lies in establishing intelligent computational ecosystems capable of continuously learning from heritage data, supporting multidisciplinary collaboration, and facilitating informed decision-making. The proposed framework offers a transferable model for integrating AI, computational design, spatial data science, and landscape architecture into heritage conservation practices.

Abstract Rapid advances in digital technologies and the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) have led to the emergence of new approaches in architecture and urban environmental management. In this context, data-driven architecture, as an emerging paradigm, has significant potential to optimize resource consumption, enhance energy efficiency, and strengthen environmental resilience. This study aims to develop a conceptual framework for data-driven architecture in the era of AI with a focus on environmental sustainability. The research is qualitative and employs a systematic literature review and thematic analysis approach. Data were collected from credible national and international sources in the fields of smart architecture, AI, the Internet of Things, digital twins, and environmental sustainability. The analysis followed Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis method, resulting in more than 150 initial codes organized into coherent themes. The findings reveal that data-driven architecture in the AI era is structured around four main themes: (1) data-driven infrastructure and architectural digitalization, (2) intelligent analysis and adaptive decision-making, (3) sustainability and environmental resilience, and (4) governance, interaction, and implementation context. The results further indicate that this approach operates through a dynamic cycle comprising real-time data collection, intelligent analysis, adaptive decision-making, and continuous learning. The proposed conceptual framework suggests that integrating data-driven technologies and AI with sustainability principles can facilitate the development of smart, sustainable, and resilient buildings and cities. This study contributes to the theoretical advancement of data-driven architecture and provides a foundation for future policymaking and the design of intelligent urban environments.